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Category: solar power – Page 5

On-demand Lewis base formation strategy boosts efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells

Solar cells based on perovskites, materials with a characteristic crystal structure first unveiled in the mineral calcium titanate (CaTiO3), have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional silicon-based photovoltaics. A key advantage of these materials is that they could yield high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs), yet their production costs could be lower.

Perovskite films can exist in different structural forms, also referred to as phases. One is the so-called α-phase (i.e., a photoactive black phase), which is the most desirable phase for the efficient absorption of light and the transport of charge carriers. The δ-phase, on the other hand, is an intermediate phase characterized by a different atom arrangement and reduced photoactivity.

Researchers at the University of Toledo, Northwestern University, Cornell University and other institutes recently introduced a new strategy to control the crystallization process in -based , stabilizing the δ-phase while facilitating their transition to the α-phase. Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper in Nature Energy, enables the formation of Lewis bases on perovskites on demand to optimize crystallization, which can enhance the efficiency and stability of solar cells.

Inspired by laminate: ‘Three-ply’ microstructure gives perovskite solar cells a powerful efficiency lift

A collaborative research team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed an innovative laminated interface microstructure that enhances the stability and photoelectric conversion efficiency of inverted perovskite solar cells. The research is published in the journal Nature Synthesis.

Perovskite solar cells have considerable potential to replace traditional silicon solar cells in various applications, including grid electricity, portable power sources, and space photovoltaics. This is due to their unique advantages, such as , low cost, and aesthetic appeal.

The basic structures of are classified into two types: standard and inverted. The inverted structure demonstrates better application prospects because the electronic materials used in each layer are more stable compared to those in the standard configuration.

Precision-engineered surface can enhance silicon solar cell performance

Converting sunlight into electricity is the task of photovoltaic solar cells, but nearly half the light that reaches a flat silicon solar cell surface is lost to reflection. While traditional antireflective coatings help, they only work within a narrow range of light frequency and incidence angles. A new study may have overcome this limit.

As reported in Advanced Photonics Nexus, researchers have proposed a new type of antireflective coating using a single, ultrathin layer of polycrystalline silicon nanostructures (a.k.a. a metasurface). Achieving minimal reflection across certain wavelengths and angles, the metasurface was reportedly developed by combining forward and inverse design techniques, enhanced by (AI).

The result is a coating that sharply reduces reflection across a wide range of wavelengths and angles, setting a new benchmark for performance with minimal material complexity.

Organic solar panels reach 8.7% efficiency for the first time — twice the previous record

Japanese scientists have created all-organic solar cells made of carbon-based materials with a record efficiency of 8.7% for this type of cell.

It is noted that the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth every day is 10 times higher than all the existing needs of humanity. Over the past 6 years, there has been a rapid development of cells for solar panels. However, there are still a number of challenges to their widespread use, including high production costs, efficiency, and environmental impact.

Silicon is currently the most widely used material in solar cells. However, such cells often also contain potentially hazardous materials that are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Scientists crack decades-old puzzle in carbon dioxide-to-fuel conversion

New research has revealed the fundamental mechanisms that limit the performance of copper catalysts—critical components in artificial photosynthesis that transform carbon dioxide and water into valuable fuels and chemicals.

In a study co-led by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, researchers have used sophisticated X-ray techniques to directly observe how change during the .

By applying small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)—a technique traditionally used to study soft materials like polymers—to this catalyst system, the team gained unprecedented insights into catalyst degradation that has puzzled scientists for decades.

New Molecule Supercharges Perovskite Solar Cells for Higher Efficiency and Stability

KAUST is part of an international collaboration that has demonstrated how an ionic salt molecule, known as CPMAC, can significantly boost solar cell performance by 0.6%. A new study published in Science reveals that integrating a synthetic molecule significantly improves the energy efficiency and