| As the global energy consumption has been accelerating at an alarming rate due to the rapid economic expansion worldwide, increase in world population, and ever-increasing human reliance on energy-based appliances, there is a pressing need for the development of clean and renewable energy alternatives like solar cells and fuel cells. With the rapid development in nanoscience and nanotechnology, nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes, graphene sheets, conjugated polymer thin films) have been playing a more and more important role in the development of renewable energy sources. In this talk, I will present some of our work on both molecular and structural engineering of conjugated macromolecules and carbon nanomaterials to provide various rational concepts for the design and development of energy-related systems, including polymer solar cells, carbon nanotube fuel cells, and nanotube/graphene energy storage devices. |