2013 April Beacon

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

BEACON ‫املنـارة‬ at Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

April 2013 / Jumada Al-Thani 1434 Volume 3, Issue No. 8

the

www.kaust.edu.sa

Prof. Aram Amassian

Prof. Hussain and his PhD candidate student Jhonathan Rojas examining a flexible silicon piece with devices.

:‫املعاجلة املرنة و الشفافة‬ ‫توفر املعلومات يف أي مكان‬ ‫و زمان‬ ‫تخيل أن تصل إلى المطار ثم تخرج من جيب سترتك‬ ‫جهاز كمبيوتر مطوي رقيق جدًا وأنيق ويعمل بأداء‬ ‫ال عن بطاقة‬ ً ‫عرف رقمي بدي‬ ُ ‫ ثم تستخدمه‬،‫عال‬ ّ ‫كم‬ ‫ يقول البروفسور محمد حسين‬.‫صعود الطائرة‬ ‫األستاذ المساعد في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫و التقنية " يمكن تحقيق ذلك عن طريق البحوث‬ ‫الجديدة في مجال لإللكترونيات غير العضوية المرنة‬ ."‫خالل العقدين القادمين‬ ‫و ُذكر في ورقة نشرت مؤخرًا على صفحة الغالف‬ ‫ ذات‬physica status solidi RRL ‫الخلفي لمجلة‬ ‫التأثير الكبير و شارك في تأليفها البرفسور حسين‬ ‫و تلميذه طالب الدكتوراه جوناثان روخاس من‬ ‫ أن بحثًا لعلماء‬، ‫مجموعة تقنية النانو المتكاملة‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل يقدم نموذجًا مبتكرًا إلنتاج‬ .‫منصة سيليكون مرنة لإللكترونيات عالية األداء‬ ‫ال بناء‬ ً ‫وتبحث الورقة االقتراح التالي "هل يمكن فع‬ ‫جهاز كمبيوتر عالي األداء يكون مرن و شفاف في‬ ٍ ."‫آن معاً؟‬ 4 ‫تتمه صفحة‬

Flexible and Transparent Computing: Information Anywhere and Anytime Imagine arriving at the airport, then taking out a fully functional, neatly folded, ultra-thin computer device from inside your shirt pocket, and using it to check into a flight. “New research into flexible inorganic electronics could make this happen in the next two decades,” said Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Muhammad M. Hussain.

In a paper recently published in the highimpact journal physica status solidi RRL and featured on the back cover (7, No. 3 (2013) [DOI 10.1002/pssr.201206490 (2013)]), co-authors Prof.

Hussain and his PhD student Jhonathan Rojas from the professor’s Integrated Nanotechnology Group, provide a model for producing a flexible silicon platform for high performance electronics through their breakthrough research. The paper examines the following proposition: “Can we build a truly high-performance computer that is both flexible and transparent?”

FLEXIBLE COMPUTING | Continued on p3

INSIDE:

‫تشكل اخلاليا‬ ‫مراقبة‬ ّ ‫الشمسية العضوية‬

Observing the Formation of Organic Solar Cells

‫أحرز باحثون من برنامج علوم وهندسة المواد بجامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫ال في بحثهم الخاص بالخاليا الشمسية العضوية الذي يشرح‬ ً ‫والتقنية تقدمًا مذه‬ detailing the formation of the photoactive layer, a nanoscale blend ‫تفاصيل عملية تشكل الطبقة المتفاعلة للضوء – خليط بمقياس النانو من‬ of electron donating and accepting materials, during the process of ‫اإللكترونات الممنوحة والمواد المستقبلة – خالل عملية التوزيع الدوراني والتي‬ spin coating. The results address a long debated question in the field ‫تتلخص في (إضافة كمية من المحلول إلى قاعدة تدور بسرعة عالية لتوزيعه على‬ and will help produce efficient solar cells using roll-to-roll printing ‫ وعالجت النتائج مسائل مهمة‬. )‫طبقة القاعدة باستخدام قوة الطرد المركزي‬ techniques. These findings by Assistant Professor Aram Amassian, ‫في هذا المجال وسيكون لها دور كبير في انتاج خاليا شمسية ذات كفاءة عالية‬ . roll-to-roll ‫باستخدام تقنيات الطباعة‬ head of the Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics group, and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Kang Wei Chou, are being published this ‫ ذائعة الصيت والصادرة لهذا الشهر‬Advanced Materials ‫وقد نشرت مجلة‬ month and featured on the front cover of the high-impact journal ‫على غالفها نتائج هذا البحث الذي قام به البروفسور أرام أماسيان رئيس فريق‬ Advanced Materials. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ ‫ وباحث ما بعد الدكتوراه‬،‫اإللكترونيات العضوية والخاليا الضوئية بالجامعة‬ .‫الدكتور كانغ وي تشو‬ adma.201370082/abstract) The research highlights a world-first, high-speed synchrotron X-ray ‫ويستعرض البحث ألول مرة التشتت والقياسات البصرية لسنكروتون األشعة‬ scattering and optical measurements during the drying of a solu- ‫السينية فائق السرعة خالل عملية تجفيف المحلول على طبقة سفلية تدور‬ tion on a rapidly rotating substrate. While current understanding ‫ وبالرغم من أن الفهم الحالي للخاليا الشمسية العضوية مبني على‬.‫بسرعة‬ of organic solar cells is provided mainly by post-deposition meas- ‫قياسات ما بعد الترسب إال ان علماء جامعة الملك عبداهلل تمكنوا من التغلب‬ urements, KAUST scientists have overcome key technical hurdles ‫على العقبات التقنية الرئيسية األمر الذي فتح لهم افاقًا جديدة عن حركة‬ allowing them to provide new insights on the kinetics and sequence ‫وتسلسل عملية التبلور ومرحلة االنفصال التي ينتشر فيها الحبر الشمسي ويجف‬ .‫على القرص الدوار ليشكل طبقة الخلية الشمسية المتفاعلة للضوء‬ of crystallization and phase separation as the solar ink spreads and dries on the spinning disk to form the photoactive layer of a solar cell. ،‫قد يمثل التوزيع الدوراني طريقة فعالة لتوزيع طبقات موحدة سريعة الجفاف‬ Spin-coating may represent an effective way of coating uniform ‫إال أن استخدامه مقتصرًا على بيئة المختبرات فقط حيث ال يمكن ترقية هذه‬ and fast-drying layers, but its usage is exclusively limited to lab- ‫ و بشكل عام فإن هذه الطريقة قد تعمل‬.‫التقنية إلى معايير اإلنتاج الصناعي‬ oratory settings, the reason being that spin-coating it not scalable ‫بصورة جيد للغاية على مستوى المختبرات و أنتجت معظم الخاليا الشمسية في‬ .‫ إال أن لديها بعض العيوب الرئيسية‬،‫السنوات األخيرة‬ up to manufacturing line standards. Essentially, this method performs extremely well at the laboratory level and produced most of ‫و يشرح البرفسور أماسيان بعض عيوب هذه التقنية بقوله " يقذف التوزيع‬ the record-setting solar cells reported in recent years, but it has some ‫ في المائة من كمية المحلول المترسب (الحبر) من السطح‬99 ‫الدوراني نسبة‬ ‫ ولكن‬.)‫ نانومتر‬100-200( ‫ليشكل طبقة متفاعلة للضوء رقيقة جدًا بقياس‬ major flaws.

Enumerating some reasons for this limitation, Prof. Amassian ‫الحبر المستخدم يحتوي على مواد مكلفة جدًا مما يزيد التكلفة المادية لتصنيع‬ explained, “Spin-coating ejects 99% of the deposited solution (ink) ‫ باإلضافة إلى أن طريقة‬،‫الخاليا الشمسية بواسطة التوزيع الدوراني بمائة مرة‬ from the surface to form a very thin (100-200 nm) photoactive layer. ‫ لذلك ال يمكن توسيع‬roll-to-roll. ‫القرص الدوار غير مالئمة لتقنية الطباعة‬ ."‫أو ترقية عملية التوزيع الدوراني‬ The ink contains expensive materials, so the material cost to manufacture a solar cell by spin-coating increases one hundred fold. ‫ويفضل غالبية من يعمل في مجال الخاليا الشمسية العضوية حل أوسع لعملية‬ Another reason is that the spinning disk approach isn’t suited for .‫الطباعة بدال من معالجة الفراغ المكلفة والمستخدمة بكثرة في هذا المجال‬ Researchers from the Materials Science and Engineering pro-

gram have conducted breakthrough research on organic solar cells,

ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS | Continued on p4

Research 1, 3-4, 6-7

News 2

4 ‫تتمه صفحة‬

New Faculty 5

Community 8

2

April 2013

News

The Beacon

This issue focuses on some of the exciting research being conducted at KAUST and published in well-

materials for effective and cost efficient carbon capture, and a catalytic system for recycling CO2.

known journals. The topics range from the development of a flexible, transparent computer that you

It also introduces the faculty members who have recently become part of the KAUST family and

can fold and put in your pocket to the development of organic solar cells, the harnessing of hydro-

describes three important conferences held during the month. Don’t miss the interesting photo of

gen using solar energy for water-splitting, a new semi-conductor for water splitting, metal-organic

Earth Day on page 8. 

—THE BEACON Editorial

The Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 8, April 2013. Published by The Communications Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Contact Salah Sindi salah.sindi@kaust.edu.sa, or Michelle D'Antoni michelle.dantoni@kaust.edu.sa © King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Printed on partially recycled paper.

in brief New Energy Oasis and Solar Technology Highlighted at KAUST

be destroyed. The pest causes great economic losses in the Kingdom, and its control is a serious challenge for researchers in academia, governmental agencies, and private agricultural enterprises.

The conference brought together scientists from KAUST, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, the Americas, Europe, and Asia to explore existing and future research strategies, as well as to lay the foundation for collaborative research projects. During the conference, participants discussed new research strategies and control measures to manage the pest, to prevent its further spread, as well as to identify infested plants in earlier stages. The participants shared their expertise in fighting the RPW and learned how other insect pests are managed and controlled. The main conference outcomes were the establishment of a new communication channel and a possible coordination body

Abdulaziz Baras (left), KAUST alumnus and researcher at the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K•A•CARE), discusses solar technology at the NEO site with Abdulrahman Al Othman (right), Vice President of Saudi Cable, during the NEO event on March 6.

The Kingdom’s “renewed momentum and commitment to produce solar technology” and KAUST’s partnerships in the field will help local industry meet Saudi Arabia’s solar energy needs, Amin Shibani, KAUST Vice President of Economic Development, told the audience at the New Energy Oasis (NEO) Spotlight on SunPower Technology workshop on March 6.

The workshop, which was hosted by KAUST’s Technology Application and Advancement Group

that will help foster collaboration.

The conference was organized by Dr. Ali M Idris, Prof. Arnab Pain, Prof. Vladimir Bajic, and Prof.

Nina Fedoroff from the Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, and colleagues from Saudi Arabia, US, and the UK. 

Saudi University Representatives Meet to Discuss Technology Transfer in the Kingdom Participants in the Saudi University Technology Transfer Roundtable workshop held at KAUST on March 13 discussed the best practices, challenges, opportunities, and potential of the technol-

(TAAG) and Total, brought together more than 100 executives from local utility companies and government agencies, technical advisors, industrial representatives, and KAUST community members. SunPower, a leading provider of solar technology, profiled its cutting-edge solar cells and collaborative research work in Saudi Arabia at KAUST during the event.

In April 2010, SunPower – a company now partially owned by Total, the University’s partner through the KAUST Industry Collaboration Program (KICP) – completed a project at KAUST which installed a 2 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of four of the academic buildings.

The University intends to “increase the level of building sustainability at KAUST by integrating this renewable energy source,” explained Tamer Shahin, Solar Systems Engineer from TAAG. In March 2013, SunPower also completed an installation of a smaller-scale system at the NEO site to test

Maria Douglass, Acting Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation, moderates a discussion session about technology transfer at the Saudi University Technology Transfer Roundtable workshop on March 13.

three of its products: a fixed PV system, a tracking PV system, and a low-concentration PV system.

ogy transfer (TT) process to support the introduction of innovative new technologies tailored to

NEO is run through collaborations between industry and academia at KAUST. The TAAG team

meet the Kingdom’s needs. Representatives from 11 universities, including King Fahd University

and NEO function as the link between the two, explained Shahin. TAAG monitors and analyzes the

of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), King Saud University, Umm Al-Qura University, and King

SunPower systems’ performance, as they “operate under the special circumstances of Saudi weather,

Abdulaziz University, took part in the event.

including high temperatures, wind, humidity, and soiling rates,” Shahin said. “TAAG is focused on solving the issue of dust accumulation, which reduces the energy output of solar systems.”

The workshop marked “the first time all TT offices in the Kingdom came together to discuss their role in transferring university-based technology to industry and businesses,” explained Dr. Sami

“Work at KAUST is addressing these issues,” said Dr. Raed Bkayrat, Manager of TAAG, noting

Bashir, Senior Technology Portfolio Manager from KAUST’s Economic Development. “We produced

that dust accumulation can reduce a system’s output by 60%. “You have to mitigate [the issues],”

a learning experience in best practices that could ultimately lead to an effective TT process that is

he said. “That’s why we are pushing forward with solar testing at NEO.”

tailor-made for Saudi society and the Saudi economy.”

State-of-the-art clean energy technologies can be tested and demonstrated at NEO, and then cer-

Organized into three main discussion blocks, the workshop focused on commercialization of tech-

tified for use in the challenging environment of Saudi Arabia. “NEO is basically an outdoor test lab

nology in Saudi Arabia, the challenges of TT in the Kingdom, and intellectual property (IP) rights and

that covers the areas of interest to KAUST and Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Bkayrat.

the patenting process. In the first session, participants pointed out TT issues unique to the Kingdom,

Through NEO, the University aims to develop and utilize PV technologies that can provide a market

including concerns over the infrastructure of engineering and manufacturing, little support by private

edge “if you have a desert module that is optimized for the weather conditions of Saudi Arabia,” Dr.

investors, and difficulties in bringing inventors and investors together. However, as Maria Douglass,

Bkayrat explained. “We want to provide our industry with recommendations to understand the impact

Acting Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation (TTI), noted at the end of the session, the dis-

of soiling and develop dust implication solutions.” The NEO test site “emphasizes the local content of

cussion showed representatives are “confident of a growing science and research capacity” in Saudi

the projects,” noted Shibani, adding that said he expects it will expand in response to strong demand

Arabia, and that there is a desire to cultivate “a culture of economic entrepreneurship.”

by industry to help further the Kingdom’s goals in moving towards solar and renewable energies. 

KAUST Hosts International Conference on Red Palm Weevil

Participants agreed one of the major issues facing interactions with businesses in the Kingdom is that the purpose of TT offices is not to make money – a concept which may be difficult for businesses to understand. Explained Dr. Iyad Al-Zaharnah, Director of KFUPM’s Innovation Center and Assistant Professor at KFUPM, “TT offices want to help in job creation. They often lose money over a certain period.” Both Dr. Zaharnah and Dr. Bashir said universities and businesses must focus on the “long-term vision” of what TT is capable of accomplishing. This vision includes understanding that technology cannot move from the lab bench to the market in a short time period.

The participants agreed that both universities and the local business community need to understand the importance of protecting IP, but Saudi universities must also be generous with investors and businesses. “We need to engage end-users and local stakeholders early in the process,” said Dr. Osamah Alamri, CEO of Makkah Techno Valley Co. and Assistant Professor at Umm Al-Qura University.

The participants in the Red Palm Weevil workshop, March 16-18.

As the Kingdom continues to move towards an innovation-based economy, TT will become even more important, noted Dr. Alamri. “There is a Saudi market [for technology],” he said, and through

From March 16-18, KAUST hosted an international conference on research and management

TT the Kingdom should be able to “fulfill its own consumption and also export some technologies,”

strategies for the red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. This beetle is a major pest

with universities contributing to the economic development of Saudi Arabia. 

of all the economically important palms tree species, including the date palm that plays such an important part in the cultural and economic heritage of Saudi Arabia. The insect was inadvertently introduced into Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf countries in the 1980s and is now established in all date palm growing areas.

RPW is an elusive pest and hard to detect in earlier infestation stages. By the time the obvious signs of infestation appear, it is often too late for chemical treatment, and the infested tree must

Correction: In the March Beacon article on the SEDCO Research Excellence Award Workshop on page 3, Mandeep Kaur was incorrectly titled a postdoctoral fellow. The correct title is senior research scientist.

Research

www.kaust.edu.sa

April 2013

3

Solar Fuel Generation for Sustainable Society with Abundant Materials of researchers investigated nano-sized tungsten carbide as a

Science in the Catalysis Research Center and the Principal

potential substitute for noble metals in OWS applications. Prof.

Investigator of the Photocatalysis (Catalysis for Energy

Takanabe worked on the project with his PhD student Angel

Conversion) Laboratory. His research interests include the devel-

T. Garcia-Esparza, with Dr. Dongkyu Cha from the Advanced

opment of novel nanomaterials for a variety of reactions from

Nanofabrication, Imaging, and Characterization Laboratory,

conventional methane conversion to photocatalytic hydrogen

and their colleagues from Prof. Kazunari Domen’s group at The

production.

University of Tokyo.

Prof. Takanabe’s current research focus is on the development

“Although further optimization of the synthetic and reac-

of efficient photocatalysis for water splitting to harness hydro-

tion conditions is needed, tungsten carbide shows promise in

gen using solar energy. The study requires an understanding of

the search for non-noble-metal cocatalysts for OWS,” Prof.

the band structure of semiconductors and of electrocatalysis on

Takanabe said. “Our findings also show that tungsten carbide

the semiconductor surfaces. His research group is developing

can be used for water splitting without a core/shell structure,

visible light-responsive photocatalysis to absorb and convert

and this opens up new possibilities in the design of cocatalysts

a significant amount of solar energy, and highly active nano-

for photocatalytic OWS. This study introduces the great poten-

structure catalysts that are immobilized on the semiconductor

tial of non-metal/metal oxides, like tungsten carbides, when

surfaces to catalyze water redox reactions.

made extremely small in size, as a non-noble-metal alternative

“Hydrogen, when generated using renewable energy like solar

for use as a cathode catalyst in water electrolysis, as an anode

energy, is seen as a promising clean alternative to the deplet-

catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, and as a

ing stocks of fossil fuels, but its efficient production/harnessing

dual-role cocatalyst in OWS.”

PhD student Angel T. Garcia-Esparza and Prof. Takanabe Copyright Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Reproduced with permission.

Dr. Kazuhiro Takanabe is an Assistant Professor of Chemical

remains a scientific and technological challenge, and the tech-

The team is also working on the visible-light-responsive sem-

nologies are not yet commercially viable,” Prof. Takanabe said.

iconductor materials with improved photocatalytic efficiency.

One of the most economical ways to harness hydrogen is thought

The examples include highly efficient nano-rod tantalum nitride

to be through solar-energy powered photocatalytic overall water

as a photoanode for water oxidation reaction, the collaborative

splitting (OWS). In this method, water is dissociated into hydrogen

work of which is recently published in the journal Advanced

(H2) and oxygen (O2) with the use of light’s energy.

Materials and featured on the back cover. The solar energy con-

The research paper “Tungsten Carbide Nanoparticles as

version efficiency using these materials is improving day by

Efficient Cocatalysts for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting”

day, and yet breakthrough in the energy efficiency is awaited.

was published in ChemSusChem, and can be accessed at http://

“The photocatalytic OWS process requires a semiconductor with suitable band positions and cocatalysts for electrochemical redox reactions. Platinum-group metals have proven to be

“Recent advances in nanochemistry enable us to develop highly

dx.doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201200780. The Advanced Materials

the excellent co-catalysts, allowing hydrogen production to take

efficient catalysts for various applications. Understanding the

paper, “Vertically Aligned Ta3N5 Nanorod Arrays for Solar-

place efficiently, but their increasing global demand and esca-

reaction mechanism and functionality of the active sites, design

Driven Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting,” can be accessed

lating prices have led researchers to look for more abundant,

of the efficient and stable (photo)catalysts is to be addressed

at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.201202582 

low cost materials,” Prof. Takanabe said.

experimentally, assessing the significant issues of human beings,

In a recent research effort led by Prof. Takanabe, a group

such as energy and environment,” Prof. Takanabe said.

FLEXIBLE COMPUTING | Continued from p1 today’s computers have 3.1 GHz speed. In order to achieve this novel combination of speed and flexibility, the transistors are scaled down to 25 nm in length and instead have high-k/metal gate stacks.

Hussain and Rojas have opted to fabricate those high-k/metal gate capacitors on the cheapest form or bulk silicon (100) used in the semiconductor industry.

“We’re using the cheapest substrate because industry uses the cheapest substrate. This is why prices go down every year… industry can simply grab this technology because we're not introducing any new tools. That’s where its uniqueness is. The standard criteria of today’s traditional electronics (CMOS compatibility) are maintained. We're not compromising any of that. We're just adding value by bringing in the flexibility and transparency components,” Prof. Hussain explained.

Using an inexpensive bulk silicon wafer, KAUST scientists, through a series of dry etching steps, peel off thin layers from the original substrate. This process produces an ultra-thin substrate that is not only mechanically flexible but also optically transparent. “When we peel the layer off, it’s very thin and retains all the properties without any loss in performance, material, or lithographic resolution…For the first time we actually demonstrate how to get ultra-low power devices on a flexible platform,” said Prof. Hussain.

Achieving flexibility and display resolution efficiency may suffice for the purposes of an LED screen, Prof. Hussain is holding a flexible silicon piece (2.3 cm x 1.2 cm) with fabricated devices.

but more is required to develop a foldable and transparent computer.

Organic-based semiconductor layers on LED television screens are currently available on the market.

While those are able to provide high-resolution display, the fact that performance levels aren’t optimal

According to Prof. Hussain, three main challenges need to be addressed to create this ultra-light

isn’t a major concern. But the requirements are different for an ultra-light computer.

foldable computer: "First, we have to use silicon; second, we have to match the performance that our

Performance is a crucial characteristic, or metric, in the usefulness on a foldable computer. As Prof.

transistors provide on laptops and desktops; and third, the new devices need to be ultra-low power." In

Hussain remarks, “If the performance is compromised, then it doesn’t make any sense.” This comes in

essence, the goal is to create a flexible and transparent device with extremely high computation perfor-

the form of a longer battery life for portable devices. “In addition to being ultra-light-weight, foldable,

mance that requires very low power.

and easily deployable (wearable, stored, or easily carried), its battery life will be for weeks and feature

In addition to the above factors, a central consideration is functionality. For example, how many tasks

terabyte non-volatile memory.”

can be performed on a foldable computer? By making the transistors small enough, and stacking them

Guided by the research vision of KAUST’s Integrated Nanotechnology Lab which states: “Information

together within a given amount of space, it becomes possible to instruct given sets of transistors to per-

for everyone, anywhere and anytime,” Prof. Hussain sees a future where every single person on earth

form various tasks. “It’s not possible at all if you don’t use silicon as the substrate,” said Prof. Hussain.

will carry a computer. “Because that’s how they will be connected to their information; and really, our

It’s an important advantage which silicon processing holds, as applied to flexible inorganic electron-

life is driven by information,” he added.

ics, over organic-based platforms. “A one centimeter square silicon-based platform can have one billion

Specific future applications could be the implementation of a unique code or ID to access our medical

devices while an organic-based substrate can hardly have a hundred devices,” Prof. Hussain further

records instantly, to have the ability to withdraw money in local currency worldwide without the need

explained. “Those are the basic reasons why we should focus on flexible inorganic electronics. Basically,

to carry physical documents, or to apply for and receive travel visas online.

they provide a stronger platform. But can we make them foldable?”

Conventional silicon (high-k/metal gate) microprocessors, holding billions of transistors, used in

In order to achieve these objectives, “we need to have an extremely powerful, ultra-mobile device in our pocket. That’s where the flexibility comes from,” concluded Prof. Hussain. 

‫‪Research‬‬

‫‪The Beacon‬‬

‫‪April 2013‬‬

‫‪4‬‬

‫‪ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS | Continued from p1‬‬

‫‪Reproduced with permission.‬‬ ‫‪Copyright 2013, Wiley.‬‬

‫‪Miniature spin-coater constructed from a computer hard‬‬ ‫‪disk drive measures only 3 cm diameter and is mounted on‬‬ ‫‪an aluminum base.‬‬

‫ويؤكد أماسيان ذلك بقوله أن‪ " :‬التكلفة العالية‬ ‫جدًا للخاليا الشمسية هي إحدى التحديات الكبيرة‬ ‫في الوقت الحالي لجميع الشركات في هذا المجال‬ ‫بالرغم من التقدم في تقنيات الطبقة الرقيقة"‪.‬‬ ‫كما أن التحدي الفعلي هو في ابتكار طريقة غير‬ ‫مكلفة مع تحسين كفاءة اإلنتاج‪ ،‬ويوضح البروفسور‬ ‫أماسيان ذلك قائال ‪ ":‬يريد غالبية من يعمل في مجال‬ ‫الخاليا الشمسية العضوية استخدام محلول الطباعة‬ ‫و يهدف إلى رفع الكفاءة إلى أكثر من ‪ 15%‬و‬ ‫ذلك لجعل هذه التقنية اقتصادية ومفيدة للصناعة‬ ‫والمستثمرين والزبائن"‪.‬‬ ‫ومن خالل فهم كيفية تشكيل البنية النانومترية أثناء‬ ‫عملية التوزيع الدوراني الذي يعتبر أنجح عملية لتصنيع‬ ‫الخاليا الشمسية العضوية‪ ،‬نستطيع نقل الدروس‬ ‫المستفادة منها إلى عمليات الطباعة الصناعية والتي‬ ‫ليست بمستوى التوزيع الدوراني في المختبرات‪.‬‬ ‫ويقول البرفسور أماسيان‪ " :‬لدينا اآلن األدوات‬ ‫قيمة من خبراتنا في عملية‬ ‫الالزمة لتعلم دروس ّ‬ ‫ال من‬ ‫التوزيع الدوراني ونقلها إلى عملية الطباعة بد ً‬ ‫البدء من نقطة الصفر"‪ .‬ويعتبر البحث الذي نشره‬ ‫كل من أماسيان وتشو إنجازا مهمًا في الهندسة‬ ‫نظرًا ألنه يوضح القدرة على أداء تجربة لسنكروتون‬ ‫األشعة السينية في الوقت الفعلي‪.‬‬ ‫و يلقي علم التشكل النانومتري الضوء على العديد‬ ‫من األسئلة المحيرة من خالل مراقبة مرحلة الفصل‬ ‫في الطبقة المخلوطة المتفاعلة للضوء في خلية‬ ‫شمسية عضوية‪ .‬فعلى سبيل المثال‪ :‬كيف ومتى‬ ‫تحدث عملية التبلور ومرحلة االنفصال؟ و ما مدى‬ ‫العالقة بينهما؟‬ ‫ولفت البرفسور أماسيان النظر إلى أن " تطور هذه‬ ‫العملية كان قيد التوقعات نظرًا لغياب البراهين‬ ‫الحقيقة‪ .‬فهل يتبع التبلور عملية التحلل( (�‪spinod‬‬ ‫‪ )al‬للبوليمر أو أن تبلور البوليمر هو من يدفع عملية‬ ‫الفصل المرحلي؟ أعتقد أن نتائج تجربتنا تبين أن كلتا‬ ‫العمليتين تحدثان في نفس الوقت وبالتعاون والتوافق‬ ‫مع بعضها البعض‪ .‬ومهمتنا اآلن هي جعل الخاليا‬ ‫الشمسية فعالة في عملية الطباعة القابلة للترقية‬

‫املعاجلة املرنة و الشفافة‪ :‬توفر املعلومات يف أي مكان و زمان‬

‫والتطوير ‪ ،‬حيث تختلف الظروف عن التوزيع الدوراني"‪.‬‬ ‫و بالرغم من استخدام تقنية تشتت األشعة السينية‬ ‫في الماضي للتحقق من تحلل فلم عادي عضوي رقيق‬ ‫بعمليات مثل ترسب الفراغ ‪ ،‬واإلسقاط ‪ ،‬و �‪doc‬‬ ‫‪ ، tor-blading‬إال أن دراسة عملية التوزيع الدوراني‬ ‫تشكل تحديًا خاصًا حتى اآلن‪ .‬وتكمن العقبة‬ ‫الرئيسية في أن قرص التوزيع يدور بسرعة كبيرة‬ ‫ويتذبذب ويقذف المحلول بإتجاه مجال األشعة‬ ‫السينية مما يعيق عملية تركيز الشعاع على السطح‬ ‫السفلي المتحرك بإستمرار‪.‬‬ ‫وللتغلب على هذه المشكلة لجأ الدكتور تشو‬ ‫إلى فكرة بارعة وهي إجراء التجربة على قرص‬ ‫توزيع صغير جدًا تم تطويره من سواقة قرص صلب‬ ‫لكمبيوتر قديم‪ .‬واستطاع بعد تجربة عدة نماذج من‬ ‫تطوير قرص توزيع دوراني يمكن استخدامه بأمان‬ ‫ضمن حدود صندوق الحماية‪ .‬حيث اتضح ان سواقة‬ ‫القرص الصلب للكمبيوتر الشخصي تعطينا أقراص‬ ‫صغيرة جدًا تدور بثبات‪.‬‬ ‫ويمكن أن يؤدي التقدم في تقنيات طباعة الخاليا‬ ‫الشمسية إلى عدد كبير من التطبيقات بخالف‬ ‫األلواح الشمسية التقليدية‪ ،‬كما يمكن كذلك إنتاج‬ ‫خاليا شمسية أرق بكثير وشبه شفافة بالتحكم‬ ‫بسماكة الطبقة النشطة فقط‪ .‬وبجعل هذه الخاليا‬ ‫الشمسية الرقيقة منخفضة التكلفة يمكن أن‬ ‫تستغل في تطبيقات متعددة مثل دمجها مع غطاء‬ ‫الكمبيوتر اللوحي كمصدر متجدد للطاقة‪ ،‬وسيتم‬ ‫إعادة شحن البطارية في كل مرة يدخل فيها‬ ‫الكمبيوتر اللوحي طور الخمول بوجود إضاءة محيطة‬ ‫وبالتالي االستغناء عن الدائرة الكهربائية‪ .‬وتعطينا‬ ‫هذه الخاليا الشمسية العضوية والتي يمكن أن تغطي‬ ‫النوافذ أو األسطح الشفافة مصادر كهربائية مستقلة‬ ‫و خفيفة الوزن‪.‬‬ ‫وأوضح البرفسور أماسيان في نهاية حديثه مدى أهمية‬ ‫ذلك للمملكة العربية السعودية بقوله‪ " :‬يمكن أن‬ ‫تشكل هذه الخاليا الشمسية العضوية استثمارًا في‬ ‫تقنيات الطاقة المتجددة التي تصنع في المملكة‬ ‫وتصدر للعالم في السنوات القليلة القادمة‪ ".‬‬

‫وفقًا للبرفسور حسين‪ ،‬توجد ثالث تحديات رئيسية يجب معالجتها إلنشاء هذا الكمبيوتر البالغ الخفة والقابل للطي‪:‬‬ ‫" أوالً‪ ،‬يتعين علينا استخدام رقاقة السيليكون ؛ وثانيًا يجب أن يجاري نفس أداء الترانزستورات في أجهزة الكمبيوتر‬ ‫المحمولة والمكتبية‪ ،‬وثالثاً‪ ،‬يجب أن يكون الجهاز الجديد ذو استهالك منخفض للطاقة"‪ .‬و بشكل عام‪ ،‬هدفنا إنشاء‬ ‫جهاز مرن وشفاف‪ ،‬مع معالجة حاسوبية عالية للغاية‪ ،‬وباستهالك منخفض جدًا للطاقة‪.‬‬ ‫يعتبر األداء الوظيفي من أهم العوامل المذكورة أعاله‪ .‬فعلى سبيل المثال‪ ،‬كم عدد المهام التي يمكن أن‬ ‫ينجزها الكمبيوتر المطوي؟ ويمكن من خالل جعل الترانزستورات صغيرة بما فيه الكفاية و رصها معًا في حيز‬ ‫محدد أن تؤدي مهام متعددة‪ .‬يقول البروفسور حسين "ولكن ذلك غير ممكن دون استخدام رقاقة السيليكون"‪.‬‬ ‫و هي إحدى المزايا المهمة في المعالجة بواسطة السيليكون و يتبين ذلك من خالل المقارنة بين اإللكترونيات‬ ‫ذات المنصات غير العضوية المرنة مع المنصات العضوية األخرى حيث أن سنتيمترًا مربعًا واحدًا لمنصة من‬ ‫السيليكون يمكن أن تستوعب مليار جهاز في حين أن المنصات العضوية بالكاد تستوعب مائة جهاز‪ .‬و يوضح‬ ‫البرفسور حسين ذلك بقوله " تلك هي األسباب األساسية التي تدفعنا للتركيز على اإللكترونيات غير العضوية‬ ‫المرنة حيث أنها المنصة األقوى من نوعها‪ ،‬لكن هل يمكننا أن نجعلها قابلة للطي؟ "‪.‬‬ ‫تبلغ سرعة معالجات السيليكون التقليدية (‪ )high-k/metal gate‬التي تحوي على مليار ترانزستور والمستخدمة‬ ‫في أجهزة الكمبيوتر اليوم ‪ 3.1‬جيجاهيرتز‪ .‬ولتحقيق هذه التركيبة الجديدة من السرعة والمرونة‪ ،‬يتم تقليص‬ ‫طول الترانزستورات الى ‪ 25‬نانومتر واالستعاضة بحزم فقط من ‪ .high-k/metal gate‬وقد خلص البروفسور‬ ‫حسين و تلميذه روخاس الى تصنيع مكثفات ‪ high-k/metal gate‬في أرخص شكل أو خام السيليكون (‪)100‬‬ ‫المستخدم في صناعة أشباه الموصالت‪.‬‬ ‫و يضيف البرفسور حسين " نستخدم أرخص الرقاقات ألن المصانع تستخدم أرخص الرقاقات‪ .‬و هذا السبب في‬ ‫انخفاض األسعار كل عام‪...‬ويمكن للمصانع أن تستخدم هذه التقنية ألننا ببساطة ال نقدم أي أدوات جديدة‬ ‫وهذا ما يميزها‪ ،‬حيث حافظنا على المعايير القياسية لإللكترونيات التقليدية الحالية (توافقية ‪ .)CMOS‬لم نغير‬ ‫في أي من ذلك و لكننا أثرينا قيمتها بإضافة مكونات مرنة وشفافة"‪.‬‬

‫‪polymer drive the phase separation process? I‬‬

‫‪roll-to-roll printing. So spin-coating is not very‬‬

‫‪believe the results of our experiment show that‬‬

‫”‪scalable for those reasons.‬‬

‫‪both processes occur simultaneously and syner-‬‬

‫‪Many in the organic solar cell community‬‬

‫‪gistically. Now, our job is to make efficient solar‬‬

‫‪would actually prefer large-scale solution print-‬‬

‫‪cells using scalable printing processes, where‬‬

‫‪ing as opposed to potentially costly vacuum‬‬

‫‪conditions may be quite different from spin-‬‬

‫‪processing, even though the latter may emerge‬‬

‫‪coating,” said Prof. Amassian.‬‬

‫‪as a strong player in the field. “One of the chal-‬‬

‫‪While X-ray scattering has been used in the‬‬

‫‪lenges right now is that the cost of solar cells is‬‬

‫‪past to investigate common organic thin film‬‬

‫‪too high, and a lot of companies are struggling‬‬

‫‪deposition processes such as vacuum-deposition,‬‬

‫‪to stay afloat even in more established thin film‬‬

‫‪drop casting, and doctor-blading, studying spin-‬‬

‫‪technologies,” added Prof. Amassian.‬‬

‫‪coating had thus far posed a particular challenge.‬‬

‫‪The challenge then is to devise a more‬‬

‫‪A principal roadblock has been that spin coat-‬‬

‫‪cost-effective method while also improving pro-‬‬

‫‪ers move at high speed, ejecting the solution in‬‬

‫‪duction yields, efficiency, and lifetimes, Prof.‬‬

‫‪the line of sight of the X-ray beam and tend to‬‬

‫‪Amassian explained. “A large part of the organic‬‬

‫‪wobble. This makes it especially challenging to‬‬

‫‪solar cell community wants to use solution‬‬

‫‪focus a beam of X-rays on the constantly mov-‬‬

‫‪printing and aims to get to 15% efficiency and‬‬

‫‪ing surface.‬‬

‫‪beyond in order to make this a cost-effective‬‬

‫‪To overcome this issue, Dr. Chou ingeniously‬‬ ‫‪ran the experiment on a miniature spin-coater‬‬

‫‪and exciting technology for industry, investors,‬‬ ‫”‪and for customers.‬‬

‫‪converted from an off-the-shelf computer‬‬

‫‪By understanding the formation of nanoscale‬‬

‫‪hard-disc drive. After testing several models,‬‬

‫‪structure during the spin-coating process, the‬‬

‫‪he created a spin-coater that could be safely‬‬

‫‪most successful solution-process for organic‬‬

‫‪operated remotely in the confines of the pro-‬‬

‫‪solar cell fabrication, it becomes possible to‬‬

‫‪tective hutch. As it turned out, the computer‬‬

‫‪transfer lessons from spin-coating to industrial‬‬

‫‪drive made for a very good and stable minia-‬‬

‫‪printing processes, which do not yet perform as‬‬

‫‪ture spinner.‬‬

‫‪well as lab-based spin-coaters.‬‬

‫‪Advancements in solar cell printing tech-‬‬

‫‪"Rather than starting from scratch with printing‬‬

‫‪niques can potentially lead to a myriad of‬‬

‫‪processes and ignoring all the lessons of spin-‬‬

‫‪applications, beyond the traditional rigid solar‬‬

‫‪coating, we now have the tools to learn valuable‬‬

‫‪panels. In fact, by virtue of controlling the‬‬

‫‪lessons from what has worked with spin-coating‬‬

‫‪thickness of the active layer, it becomes possible‬‬

‫‪and then try to transfer them over to the printing‬‬

‫‪to produce much thinner and semi-transparent‬‬

‫‪process much more effectively," Prof. Amassian‬‬

‫‪solar cells.‬‬

‫‪elaborated. The research published by Prof.‬‬

‫‪By making them low cost, these thin solar cells‬‬

‫‪Amassian and Dr. Chou represents a significant‬‬

‫‪could, for instance, be incorporated as energy-‬‬

‫‪engineering achievement because it demonstrates‬‬

‫‪renewing covers for tablet computers. “Every‬‬

‫‪the ability to perform synchrotron–based X-ray‬‬

‫‪time your tablet is sitting idly in the presence‬‬

‫‪experiment in real-time.‬‬

‫‪of ambient light, the battery will be recharged‬‬

‫‪By observing the phase separation in the‬‬

‫”‪-- hence taking the device off the electric grid,‬‬

‫‪photoactive blended layer of an organic‬‬

‫‪said Prof. Amassian.‬‬

‫‪solar cell, the nanoscale morphology pur-‬‬

‫‪The energy harvested by these organic solar‬‬

‫‪ports answers to several elusive questions. For‬‬

‫‪cells, which could also be used to coat windows‬‬

‫‪example: how and when do crystallization and‬‬

‫‪or transparent roofs, can establish decentralized,‬‬

‫‪phase separation happen? How are they related‬‬

‫‪very light-weight sources of electricity. This can‬‬

‫?‪to each other‬‬

‫‪make a difference within the Kingdom since, as‬‬

‫‪“In the absence of real proof, people have‬‬

‫‪Prof. Amassian concludes, “it could be part of‬‬

‫‪speculated about how the process evolves‬‬

‫‪the portfolio of renewable energy technologies‬‬

‫‪without really knowing with certainty. Does‬‬

‫‪manufactured and deployed in Saudi Arabia and‬‬

‫‪crystallization follow spinodal decomposition‬‬

‫‪beyond in the next few years.” ‬‬

‫‪of the polymer or does crystallization of the‬‬

‫و تمكن علماء جامعة الملك عبداهلل باستخدام رقاقة من خام السيليكون الغير مكلف واعتمادهم خطوات‬ ‫التنميش الجاف من تقشير طبقات رقيقة من الطبقة السفلية األصلية‪ .‬و نتج عن هذه العملية طبقة سفلية رقيقة‬ ‫جدًا ذات مرونة عالية و شفافة في نفس الوقت‪ .‬يقول البرفسور حسين " الطبقة التي تم تقشيرها رقيقة جدًا‬ ‫ومحتفظة بجميع خصائصها دون أي تأثير على األداء أو المواد أو دقة الطبع‪...‬حيث استعرضنا فعال و للمرة‬ ‫األولى كيفية الحصول على أجهزة ذات استهالك منخفض جدًا للطاقة وعلى منصة مرنة"‪.‬‬ ‫يمكن تحقيق المرونة مع إظهار دقة وضوح كبيرة ألغراض تطوير شاشات من نوع ‪ ،LED‬و لكن تطوير جهاز‬ ‫كمبيوتر قابل للطي وشفاف يحتاج إلى جهد أكبر‪.‬‬ ‫طبقات أشباه الموصالت العضوية في شاشات التلفزيون ‪ LED‬متوفرة حاليًا في السوق‪ .‬و هي تعطي دقة وضوح عالية‬ ‫جدًا اال أن أدائها غير متفوق وهو أمر غير مطلوب بالنسبة للشاشات‪ ،‬لكن االمر مختلف تمامًا عند تطوير كمبيوتر‬ ‫رقيق جداً‪ .‬فاألداء من الخصائص المهمة بالنسبة للكمبيوتر المطوي‪ .‬وقد وضح البرفسور حسين ذلك بقوله " ال‬ ‫معنى لكل ذلك بدون تحقيق األداء‪ ،‬فباإلضافة إلى كون الكمبيوتر خفيف الوزن و قابل للطي و سهل في التعامل‬ ‫(من ناحية التخزين أو سهولة الحمل) ‪ ،‬يجب أن يكون عمر البطارية لمدة أسابيع و يتضمن ذاكرة بالتيرابايت"‪.‬‬ ‫انطالقا من رؤية مختبر تقنية النانو المتكاملة في جامعة الملك عبداهلل و التي تنص على‪" :‬أن المعلومات للجميع‪،‬‬ ‫في أي مكان وزمان"‪ ,‬يعرض البرفسور محمد حسين تصوره عن المستقبل بقوله " سيحمل كل شخص على سطح‬ ‫األرض كمبيوترًا يمكنه من الحصول على المعلومات في أي وقت‪ ،‬فحياتنا في واقع األمر تعتمد على المعلومات"‪.‬‬ ‫قد يكون من تطبيقات المستقبل استخدام شفرة معينة أو رقم هوية ‪ ID‬للدخول إلى سجالتنا الطبية على الفور‬ ‫أو سحب المال بالعملة المحلية في جميع أنحاء العالم دون الحاجة لحمل الوثائق المادية‪ ،‬أو تقديم الطلبات و‬ ‫الحصول على تأشيرات السفر عبر اإلنترنت‪.‬‬ ‫و من أجل تحقيق هذه األهداف يختم البرفسور حسين بقوله " نحن بحاجة إلى جهاز محمول قوي للغاية و فائق‬ ‫الدقة في جيوبنا‪ .‬وهنا تأتي فائدة المرونة "‪ .‬‬

New Faculty

www.kaust.edu.sa

April 2013

5

New Faculty 2012-2013 Since the academic year began in September, a number of academics and scientists have joined

the world. Some joined earlier in the year, and some arrived only recently. We welcome them all

the faculty furthering the University’s mission to develop scientific leaders of tomorrow, to under-

to the KAUST family and to our community.

take groundbreaking research, and to help solve the challenges of Saudi Arabia, the region, and

Salim Al Babili

Manuel Aranda

Mootaz Elnozahy

Enzo Di Fabrizio

Associate Professor, Bioscience, BESE

Assistant Professor, Marine Science, BESE

Dean of CEMSE

Professor, Material Science and

Habilitation, University of Freiburg,

PhD, Evolutionary Genetics, University

Professor of Computer Science. PhD,

Engineering, PSE. PhD, Physics,

Germany. PhD, Cell Biology, University

of Cologne, Germany. Previously a

Computer Science, Rice University, US.

University of Rome “La Sapienza,” Italy.

of Freiburg, Germany. From University

Postdoctoral Researcher from Red Sea

From IBM Research, US.

From Italian Institute of Technology, Italy

of Freiburg, Germany

Research Center, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Hong Im

Magdy Mahfouz

Professor, Mechanical Engineering, PSE

Assistant Professor, Bioscience, BESE

PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace

PhD, Molecular Genetics, Ohio State

Engineering, Princeton University, US.

University, US. Previously a Postdoctoral

From University of Michigan, US

Team Leader from Center for Desert

Marc Genton Professor, Applied Mathematics, CEMSE PhD, Statistics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) Switzerland.

From Texas A&M University, US

Peiying Hong Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering, BESE PhD, Environmental Science and Engineering, National University of

Agriculture, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Singapore, Singapore. From University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, US

Valerio Orlando

Matthew McCabe Associate Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering, BESE. PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Newcastle, Australia. From University of New South Wales, Australia

Professor, Bioscience, BESE

Mark Tester

Omar Mohammed Abdelsaboor

PhD, Biology, University of Rome “La

Professor, Bioscience, BESE. PhD, Plant

Sapienza,” Italy.

Sciences, University of Cambridge, UK.

Assistant Professor, Chemical Sciences, PSE. PhD, Physical Chemistry, Max-Born Institute, Germany. From

From Dulbecco Telethon Institute, Italy

From the University of Adelaide and the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, Australia

California Institute of Technology, US

Mohammad Younis Enrico Traversa Professor, Material Science and Engineering, PSE. PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of Rome “La Sapienza,” Italy. From National Institute for Materials Sciences, Japan

Tom Wu

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, PSE. PhD, Engineering

Associate Professor, Material

Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Science and Engineering, PSE. PhD,

and State University, US. From State

Physics, University of Maryland, US.

University of New York at

From Nanyang Technology University,

Binghamton, US

Singapore

http://www.kaust.edu.sa/academics/ faculty/faculty.html

6

Research

April 2013

The Beacon

Metal-organic Materials for Effective and Cost-efficient Carbon Capture The design and construction of metal-organic materials (MOMs)

porosity and internal properties.”

that can selectively and cost-efficiently separate and capture

This on-demand “tuning”

carbon dioxide is the focus of a letter in the March 7 issue of

procedure is made possible by

Nature, (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v495/n7439/full/

crystal engineering or isoretic-

nature11893.html) co-authored by Mohamed Eddaoudi, Professor

ular chemistry, and allows the

of Chemical Science and Associate Director of the Advanced

production of modular three-

Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center. He and a team

dimensional frameworks. The

of research scientists from KAUST, including senior research sci-

class of MOMs Prof. Eddaoudi’s

entist Dr. Youssef Belmabkhout, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Amy

research examines are square

Cairns, and founding PhD student Ryan Luebke, and collabora-

grids “pillared” via SiF 6 2-

tors from the University of South Florida examined a class of

(SIFSIX) anions.

(L-R) Co-authors Amy Cairns, Ryan Luebke, and Youssef Belmabkhout close the high pressure cell of the Magnetic Suspension Balance (MSB) after loading novel metal-organics framework materials for a low-high pressure single and mixture gas adsorption study.

MOMs that can be structurally altered to better “grab” onto CO2

When metal nodes are connected to organic “linkers” to make

O2, CH4, and H2, “excluding

selectively in the presence of other gases, allowing for efficient

MOMs, the materials provide very large surface areas for CO2

all other gases.” SIFSIX-

and environmentally friendly carbon capture, a process that is

loading, which is advantageous for CO2 capture. However, the

3-Zn “fulfills the demanding

increasingly important in today’s energy footprint-conscious

large surface area does not necessarily mean the material can sep-

attributes required for eco-

world. As Prof. Eddaoudi stated, “Reducing CO2 emissions in the

arate CO2 efficiently under practical conditions. The researchers

nomical and efficient CO 2

atmosphere is absolutely critical. As scientists, we have to tackle

discuss three variants of one SIFSIX cubic net, called [Cu(4,4’-

post-combustion separa-

this issue today. It is a problem of the whole community.”

bipyridine)2(SiF6)]n, or SIFSIX-1-Cu, that can take up CO2 in a

tion,” the researchers report.

“highly selective” manner, and how best to utilize these SIFSIX

“My research group’s main

Previously, porous materials with unsaturated metal centers (UMCs) or organic amines that can interact with CO 2 were

variants for CO2 separation.

focus is to make functional

employed as sorbents, materials that can sorb CO2. Sorbents are

The researchers report how the binary gas adsorption selectivity

materials by design,” said

commonly used in other important processes, such as oil spill

was “dramatically higher” for variant SIFSIX-2-Cu-i compared to

Prof. Eddaoudi. “We develop

removal. However, these classes of sorbents have several draw-

variant SIFSIX-2-Cu. They attributed this to the enhanced isosteric

new strategies to assemble

backs: as sorbates load onto the sorbent, selectivity for CO2

heat of adsorption (Qst) of SIFSIX-2-Cu-i compared to SIFSIX-2-Cu.

materials in a rational way

decreases; water vapor “competes” with the CO2 for adsorption;

When they compared variant SIFSIX-3-Zn to SIFSIX-2-Cu-i, it

and target specific applications with these materials, including

Image: Vincent Guillerm, Ryan Luebke, Ekaterina Mikhaylova

and most importantly, an energy penalty (parasitic energy) is

showed much higher selectivity for CO2 than SIFSIX-2-Cu-i, and

CO2 capture.” His group’s work with MOMs reveals that pore size

associated with the reactivation, regeneration, and recycling pro-

the CO2 was retained for a longer period of time.

control and electrostatic interactions enabled by inorganic anions

cess of the sorbent. These issues indicated to the researchers that

Importantly, CO 2 adsorption selectivity of SIFSIX-3-Zn in

gives porous materials – like the three variants of SIFSIX-1-Cu

the discovery and development of new sorbents that can capture

binary gas separation was found to be “unprecedented,” and

– the ability to have “exceptional selectivity, recyclability, and

CO2 efficiently over a range of conditions and in various gas sep-

SIFSIX-3-Zn “outperform[ed]” Mg-dobdc, another metal-organic

moisture stability,” important characteristics for industry, where

aration processes was of great importance.

framework material with an unsaturated metal center, the Nature

the process of CO2 separation is essential. “I believe now more

MOMs are a “new emerging class of solid state materials. Their

letter stated. SIFSIX-3-Zn adsorbed CO2 in a highly selective

than ever that MOMs will provide the needed sorbents, and it is

organic and inorganic constituents can be tuned to construct a

manner over H2, which may enable scientists to use it in H2

only a matter of time before MOMs find their way to key indus-

made-to-order functional porous material,” Prof. Eddaoudi said.

purification or pre-combustion capture in the oil and gas indus-

trial separation applications,” Prof. Eddaoudi said. “The route is

“The ability to assemble MOMs from molecular building blocks,

try. Indeed, when they tested SIFSIX-3-Zn with gas mixtures,

paved to access unique, highly selective, and economical MOMs

or ‘LEGO chemistry,’ permits the tuning of the resultant material

they found it adsorbed CO2 more strongly and quickly than N2,

for CO2 capture, exclusively based on physical adsorption.” 

the customers and their real needs very quickly. Success often comes after series of failures. “I think entrepreneurship and innovation in general cannot happen if there’s no willingness to fail,” he said.

In fact, Dr. Osterwalder believes that if a startup receives too much funding too quickly, there is a great probability that it will fail because founders are less likely to thoroughly test their ideas in the market.

Once an entrepreneur has identified a business opportunity, the first step is to search for the right business model. This does not mean writing a plan but rather devising a tested strategy to interact with customers. At the heart of Dr. Osterwalder’s bestselling book, based on his PhD thesis, is the business model canvas.

The benefit of working with a business model canvas is that it makes use of visual language. By organizing specific action plans into a series of defined boxes such as value propositions, channels, Dr. Alex Osterwalder demonstrating the workings of the business model canvas.

key partners, key activities, cost structure, and revenue stream, entrepreneurs and business leaders are able to engage in “clear and tangible strategic conversations,” he explained.

The second step is to do a MVP (Minimum Viable Product). While prototyping is routinely done

How to Succeed in Business Without a Business Plan

in certain professions, such as design, business schools have not traditionally adopted this creative

“I don’t want you to ever write a business plan again because it’s a waste of time,” said author

ing about when we’re reviewing the business model…Using visual tools to make things clearer is

and entrepreneur Dr. Alexander Osterwalder during a recent Entrepreneurship Center lecture series.

crucial. It’s a game changer,” Dr. Osterwalder said.

Dr. Osterwalder’s book Business Model Generation, co-authored with Yves Pigneur, has sold over 600,000 copies and has been translated into over 26 languages.

approach for startups. “We taught people how to do accounting, how to do finance, and that's perfect because that’s what it’s about when you execute an existing business model. But creating new concepts is something different,” said Dr. Osterwalder.

“We need to use visual language to have a better understanding. To clearly know what we’re talk-

Entrepreneurs who have really made their mark in business have not only been very good at responding to customer needs but they have also been visionaries. As Dr. Osterwalder remarks, “the

Referring to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s famous quote, “plans are worthless, but planning is every-

task of an entrepreneur is asking himself or herself what could be and what could be possible. But

thing,” Dr. Osterwalder believes that while there’s nothing inherently wrong with a business plan,

then always checking with users to see if their ideas really create value or not.” As an example, he

an unreasonable amount of time is often invested in going into irrelevant details. “A business plan

quoted pioneering automaker Henry Ford who said if he would have asked people what they wanted

is basically made up,” he said, adding “no business plan survives the first contact with customers,”

“they would have said a faster horse.”

a quote from Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Blank.

Dr. Osterwalder argues that regardless of how smart entrepreneurs are, they need to learn about

True entrepreneurial game-changers therefore need to have vision and the ability to offer the right value proposition within an effective business model. 

Research

www.kaust.edu.sa

April 2013

7

A Stable Semiconductor for Efficient Water Splitting The production of hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water by

the electrolyte solution while

semiconductor-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting

making sure the photo-generated

is proven to be a sustainable solution to the energy crisis and

electrons from Cu2O can still be

greenhouse problem.

transported into the electrolyte

“Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been the semiconductor of choice due to its remarkable photo-stability, nontoxicity, and the high

solution to produce hydrogen gas there.”

abundance of titanium,” said Professor Peng Wang, Assistant

The KAUST research team’s

Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and the

effort led to a proposal that

Principal Investigator of Water Desalination and Reuse Research

photo-corrosion could be

Center’s Environmental Nanotechnology Laboratory. “Many

addressed with a solution-based

researchers, including myself, devote significant effort to pro-

carbon precursor coating and a

moting TiO2’s water splitting efficiency. However, due to its big

subsequent carbonization strat-

band gap (3.2 ev), TiO2 is only photoactive under ultraviolet

egy that would result in a thin

light, which accounts for only 5% of the total solar energy, and

protective carbon layer on

the progress in extending the responsive range of TiO2 into vis-

unstable semiconductor nano-

ible light has been sluggish.”

structures. A proof-of-concept

Very recently, small band-gap semiconductor cuprous oxide

was provided by using glucose

(Cu2O) has gained considerable attention in the field of water

as the carbon precursor to form

splitting. Due to its small band gap (2.0 eV), it is photoactive in

a protective carbon coating onto Cu2O nanowire arrays, which

the significant portion of visible light and its theoretical water

was synthesized from copper mesh.

splitting efficiency is nine times that of TiO2.

Prof. Wang’s group has been working with both carbon mate-

“There is good news and bad news about Cu2O, and the bad

rial and Cu2O since the inception of the group. A PhD student in

news is that something is in the way of pushing cuprous oxide

Prof. Wang’s group, Rubal Dua, works on pore size modulation

to practical application,” said Prof. Wang. “Under illumination,

of porous carbon using glucose as precursor for water purifica-

Cu2O is extremely unstable, and it loses almost all of its photo-

tion, and postdoc Dr. Zhonghai Zhang started his first project

activity in less than a minute, which makes it practically useless.

at KAUST on Cu2O for water splitting. “Looking back, it seems

This fast photo-activity degradation is technically referred to

evitable that the two materials would come across to generate

as ‘photo-corrosion,’ a common problem facing many semicon-

the spark of this carbon-layer protection strategy for Cu2O,” said

ducting materials.”

Prof. Wang. Dua and Dr. Zhang shared the first authorship for

Although considerable research efforts have been invested in

the published ACS Nano paper.

Prof. Peng Wang carbon-layer protected Cu2O generated the highest photo-sta-

coming up with methods to synthesize a stable Cu2O photoelec-

“Carbon is naturally a great choice for the protecting layer as

trode for PEC water splitting, they are met only with limited success.

it is conductive. With our approach, due to the solution-based

The team believes that the facile strategy presented in the

A recent effort in Prof. Wang’s group proposed a new strategy

precursor, one can readily control the thickness of the carbon-

work is a general approach that can address the stability issue

to combat this common problem of photo-corrosion. The work

protective layer so it has so appropriate to block the electrolyte

of many nonstable photoelectrodes, and “it has the potential to

was published in the high impact nanoscience/nanotechnology

solution from accessing the semiconductor surface, but at the

make a meaningful contribution in the general field of energy

journal ACS Nano.

same time not to negatively interfere with the light absorption

conversion,” Prof. Wang said.

“Like many other photo-corrosion prone semiconductors, the

of the semiconductor,” Prof. Wang said.

photo-corrosion of Cu2O occurs at the interface between elec-

“The carbon-layer protected Cu2O nanowire arrays exhibited

trolyte solution and Cu2O,” explained Prof. Wang. “Naturally,

remarkably improved photo-stability, as well as considerably

an effective strategy would be to keep the Cu2O from contacting

enhanced photocurrent density,” Prof. Wang said. In fact, the

A Catalytic System for Recycling CO2

bility ever reported for a Cu2O-based photoelectrode.

The research paper, “Carbon-Layer-Protected Cuprous Oxide Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Water Reduction,” can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nn3057092. 

carbonates and pharmaceuticals. However,

The research work resulted in a niobiumbased catalytic system

only the processes that are able to functional-

that allows for CO2 to be converted to value-added chemicals at

ize CO2 under mild conditions of temperature,

room temperature and at low CO2 partial pressure. The system

pressure, and CO2 concentration can achieve

retained its activity at CO2 concentrations that were in the order

actual CO2 recycling,” he added.

of flue gas from a power station, which means that waste CO2

A recent KAUST-Technische Universität

could be recycled directly from a power plant. The research paper,

München (TUM) research effort aimed to iden-

“Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Epoxides and CO2 under

tify efficient yet inexpensive catalytic systems

Mild Conditions Using a Simple, Highly Efficient Niobium-Based

for the synthesis of industrially relevant chemi-

Catalyst,” was published in the journal ChemCatChem, and can be

cals such as cyclic organic carbonates from CO2

accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201200916.

and epoxides. The research was conducted at

The team’s current research is directed to the elucidation of the

the KAUST Catalysis Research Center under the

reaction mechanism, with a special focus on CO2 activation, and

supervision of Center Director, Professor Jean

to the application of the catalytic system in flow reactors for the

Marie Basset. The research was carried out by

direct conversion of waste CO2. 

Center research scientist Dr. Valerio D’ Elia, research engineer Dr. Jeremie Pelletier, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Hailin Dong, and Antoine Monassier (a visiting TUM PhD student), in collaboration with TUM partners Dr. Mirza Cokoja and Prof. Fritz E. Kühn.

“Niobium (Nb) is an inexpensive non-toxic “The steadily increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2)

metal, but so far, molecular niobium compounds

concentration has reached unsustainable levels. As a measure to

had not been used for the catalytic conversion of CO2,” said Dr. D’

tackle global warming, part of the CO2 generated through fossil

Elia. “We explored readily available group 4–6 transition-metal

fuels combustion should be recycled,” said Dr. Valerio D’ Elia,

complexes in combination with standard nucleophilic co-catalysts

a research scientist from the KAUST Catalysis Research Center.

such as N, N-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), and tetrabutylam-

“CO2 is in fact a promising alternative to fossil carbon for the

monium bromide (TBAB). NbCl5 revealed an extraordinary catalytic

preparation of commodity chemicals such as urea, organic

activity towards the coupling of CO2 and epoxides.”

Dr. Valerio D'Elia, Dr. Hailin Dong and Dr. Jeremie Pelletier (From right to left), examining the 'in situ' IR reactors used for the catalytic conversion CO2

8

Community

April 2013

The Beacon

Earth Hour, a Global Initiative to Save Our Planet On Saturday, March 23, KAUST joined Earth Hour 2013 to raise awareness about our planet’s environmental issues, sustainability, and climate change.

Earth Hour is a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The first event was held in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, and it has grown

photo of the month "This photo was taken on Earth Day to show KAUST’s efforts to help promote global awareness about saving our environment. Turning the lights off for just one hour all over the globe makes a big difference.”

Photo by Ronald M. Serato, KAUST IT Department

ever since. This year’s event was adopted by a global community of more than 150 countries.

KAUST has taken part in the event every year since its inauguration. This year, the Facilities & Community Department helped community members take part by broadcasting several documentaries in Discovery Square. The films included “Earth Hour,” the award-winning documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth,” and a feature of a KAUST project, “Ideal House.” The Ideal House, a KAUST green building, is designed to reduce the overall impact of the building’s environment on human health and the natural environment by using energy, water, and other resources efficiently and by reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation.

The day’s activities culminated in Earth Hour. From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., the KAUST website was dimmed, and all unnecessary lights were turned off in the community. 

my university Ahmad Showall

Ahmad. After completing his studies, he hopes to join the faculty ranks of one of the Saudi

Ahmad Jameel Showall is one of the University’s founding students. He

universities to share the fruits of his experience at KAUST and to push higher education devel-

earned his master’s degree at the first graduating ceremony in 2010 and

opment in Saudi Arabia.

is currently pursuing his PhD in Computer Science. As a member of the

Ahmad participated in several internships over the last few years. He interned at Texas A&M

Networking Lab (NetLab), Ahmad’s research focuses on wireless networks,

University in 2011 where he initiated a project called SmartBelt, which is a comprehensive Hajj

specifically on finding the optimal buffer size in multi-hop wireless networks.

pilgrimage solution using Wireless Sensor Networks. In 2010, he conducted a research project at

Ahmad left a position as a system engineer in 2009 to join KAUST.

Oxford University’s e-Research Center. The main goal of the project was to enable multi-level

“Working in an industrial business is really nice, but I missed the human

parallelism in Parallel MATLAB. Ahmad was also an intern at Saudi Aramco, working with the

touch. I love to interact with people, so I decided to go into academia and

medical computer services group within the IT department to support chronically ill patients. 

pursue a PhD in order to have the opportunity to teach students and help them develop,” said

Accolades for SRSI Graduates

Annas AlFadda – 4th place

Hanan Wali – 4th place

Mentor: Dr. John Archer

Mentor: Professor Xabier Irigoien

Congratulations to 20 KAUST Saudi Research Science Institute (SRSI) alumni who won top positions in the Research

Nawaf AlHowaish – 4th place

Shyma AlHuwaider – 4th place

Track for male and female students at the IBDA’A National

Mentor: Professor Vivek Polshettiwar

Mentor: Professor Christian Claudel

Bader AlMubarak – 5th place

Sarah AlSawaf – 5th place

Mentor: Professor Jörg Eppinger

Mentor: Professor Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang

Olympiad held in Riyadh on March 20. Over 5500 high schools participated in the competition.

The SRSI program is managed by Saudi Initiatives, under the leadership of Dr. Najah Ashry, VP, Saudi Initiatives, and is designed to inspire a select group of talented Saudi high

Ahmed Halawani –6th place

Yara Jan – 5th place

school students to pursue careers in science, technology, engi-

Mentor: Professor Iman Roqan

Mentor: Professor Christoph Gehring

in a rigorous program of lectures, research, and intensive aca-

Ammar AlAmeer – 6th place

Arwa AlAngry – 6th place

demic writing. The goal is to develop budding young scientists

Mentor: Professor Osman Bakr

Mentor: Professor Udo Schwingenschlögl

neering, and mathematics. For six weeks, students are engaged

as a resource pool of talent for the Kingdom. The program has been held at KAUST in the summers of 2011 and 2012 and now

Mohammed Lahiq – 6th place

Lujain AlHibshi – 6th place

has 65 alumni. Forty more inquisitive students will take part in

Mentor: Professor Mohammad Mustafa Hussain

Mentor: Professor Kazuhiro Takanabe

SRSI this coming summer from June 11-July 26.

Acknowledgement and thanks go to the KAUST professors and research scientists who have invested their hard work and

Hamad AlEidi – 6th place Mentor: Professor Aram Amassian

efforts into mentoring students’ projects each year, enabling them to achieve these excellent results.

The 20 winners are:

Redah Al Ibrahim – 6th place Mentor: Professor Aram Amassian

Research Track

Research Track

Males, 11 winners

Females, 9 winners

Abdullah Bukhamsin – 2nd place

Reem AlRabiah – 1st place

Mentor: Professor Nina Fedoroff

Mentor: Professor Christian Voolstra

Nawaf AlFawzan – 3rd place

Sheikha AlShuwaish – 2nd place

Mentor: Professor Jörg Eppinger

Mentor: Professor Jürgen Kosel

Ammar AlKhouli – 4th place

Alma AlHussaini – 4th place

Mentor: Professor Xabier Irigoien

Mentor: Professor Gilles Lubineau