Dr Udo Bach

Dr Udo Bach is attached to Monash's School of Chemistry, and is a Senior Research Fellow. His particular area of research focuses on the development of solar cells based on nanostructured semiconductor materials and organic electronic materials.

The group is attempting to develop what is termed as 'third generation solar cell' concepts. They are studying dye-sensitized tandem solar cells (DSSC) and flexible solar cells which can be mass produced at a low cost.

 'Energy may very well be the single most critical challenge facing humanity in this century'. These words from Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley are prophetic, as society and governments face challenges imposed by higher fuel prices and considerations of climate change. The Monash Group is intent upon investigating further benefits from renewable energy, by its study of photovoltaic devices based on inorganic nanomaterials and organic electronic materials.

Above: World map of solar irradiation according to NASA.

The silicon solar cells used currently in renewable energy are productive, but their fabrication is energy intensive. Research into DSSC aims to improve their efficiencies beyond that of conventional solar cells and to mass produce them in a low cost and energy efficient way.

Working independently, Dr Bach is engaged on a project where he is developing novel nanofabrication technology. He is combining conventional 'top-down' fabrication techniques with new 'bottom up' assembly techniques.

"As chemists, we are able to synthesise complex molecules or uniformly shaped nanoparticles in large quantities. One of the major challenges in the field of nanotechnology is to use these molecules and nanoparticles as building blocks to assemble more complex functional structures."

With the use of blue prints from conventional nanopatterns, he has created nanostructures from nanometre-sized building blocks. He will then be able to perfect a universal assembly technique for use in future generations of solar cells, computing devices and sensors.
 

Above: Energy scheme of a dye-sensitized tandem solar cell, comprised of a dye-sensitized photoanode (left) and photocathode (right).

Dr Bach's work has benefited from highly successful collaborations within Monash, within Australia, and internationally. The interdisciplinary DSSC research activities at Monash University involve five research groups across two faculties. The research is supported by the ARC Centre for Electromaterials Science and the Victorian Government's Energy Technology Innovations Strategy (ETIS).

Through the Victorian Organic Solar Cell Consortium (VICOSC),  also funded by the ETIS, further collaboration has been possible with a group at the University of Melbourne, headed by Professor Andrew Holmes, the CSIRO (Molecular Health Technology), Bluescope Steel, Securency, Merck and BP Solar.

Membership of the International Organic Solar Cell Consortium (ICOS), funded through the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) has allowed for the establishment of alliances with world class research institutions in the area of organic photovoltaics in the USA, UK, Singapore and New Zealand. Dr Bach's group also collaborates with research bodies in Europe and the USA, including at the Molecular Foundry in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Dr Bach is passionate about meeting the challenge posed by the current energy crisis and he is exploring nanodevices and nanoassembly in a broader sense, together with energy storage devices.

Selected Publications

Nattestad A., Ferguson M., Kerr R., Cheng Y. B & Bach U(2008) Dye-sensitized nickel(II)oxide photocathodes for tandem solar cell applications. Nanotechnology 19, 295-304.

Burke A., Ito S., Snaith H.,  Bach U., Kwiatkowski K & Grätzel M. (2008)  The function of a TiO2 compact layer in dye-sensitized solar cells incorporating "Planar" organic dyes. Nano Letters 8(4), 977-981.  

Han H., Bach U., Cheng Y., Caruso R (2007) Increased Nanopore filling: Affect on monolithic all-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Appl. Phys Lett.  90 (21) 213-510.

Schmidt-Wende L., Bach U. et al (2005) Organic Dye for Highly Efficient Solid State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells. Advanced Materials  17 (7) 813  

Bach U., Lupo D., Comte P., Moser J. E., Weissörtel F., Salbeck J., Spreitzer H & Grätzel M (1998) Solid-state dye-sensitized mesoporous TiO2 solar cells with high photon-to-electron conversion efficiencies. Nature 395, 583-585. Times cited: 868