Researchers discover new solvent


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USC researchers have discovered a new, relatively nontoxic solvent that can be used to make thin films of material that can dissolve semiconductors, an important component in solar panel technology.

Solid semiconductors are the basis of many electronics. A specific class of semiconductors, known as chalcogenides, are especially crucial in solar panels that can generate electricity and flexible electronics.

Richard Brutchey, associate professor of chemistry, and David Webber, postdoctoral chemistry researcher, created a mixture composed of 1,2-ethanedithiol and 1,2-ethylenediamine that could break down the solid structure of chalcogenide semiconductors. In addition, the nine total compounds that the solvent broke down and dissolved could be recovered from the solution as a thin film of semiconductor simply by evaporating the solvent out.

The solvent, nicknamed “alkahest” after a universal solvent alchemists thought existed, is a step up from the toxic hydrazine now used to make high-quality semiconductor films. Hydrazine is an explosive and carcinogenic compound, which makes it difficult to use commercially.

“One of the other major uses of hydrazine is [for] rocket fuel. It’s extremely toxic and explosive,” Webber said.

Webber said he identified the two compounds in the “alkahest” solvent mixture as a potentially strong solvent based on parallels with the hydrazine-based solvent system.

“I was working on nanoparticles and different mixtures to spread nanoparticles,” Webber said. “It kind of grew out of that because I came up with a system that could modify the surface of nanoparticles and it also appeared to have some ability to dissolve things so that got me thinking.”

Webber said other members of the Brutchey lab will continue working with the solvent since the lab works on similar areas of research, including solar cell applications.

“There is a lot of interest in creating cost-effective solar panels, which the new solvent can be used for,” he said.

Semiconductors can also potentially be used for flexible electronics such as computer screens.

“If you have a very thin mobile phone, if you’ve got bendy electronics and you drop it, it’s going to be basically indestructible,” Webber said.

The Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the National Science Foundation funded the project.

 

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