Key Success Factors and Future Perspective of Silicon-Based Solar Cells

Today, after more than 70 years of continued progress on silicon technology, about 85% of cumulative installed photovolatic (PV) modules are based on crystalline silicon (c-Si). PV devices based on silicon are the most common solar cells currently being produced, and it is mainly due to silicon technology that the PV has grown by 40% per year over the last decade. An additional step in the silicon solar cell development is ongoing, and it is related to a further efficiency improvement through defect control, device optimization, surface modification, and nanotechnology approaches. This paper attempts to briefly review the most important advances and current technologies used to produce crystalline silicon solar devices and in the meantime the most challenging and promising strategies acting to increase the efficiency to cost/ratio of silicon solar cells. Eventually, the impact and the potentiality of using a nanotechnology approach in a silicon-based solar cell are also described

Phosphorus adsorption onto an enriched biochar substrate in constructed wetlands treating wastewater

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient, which in excessive concentrations from sewage treatment systems can cause eutrophication of waterways. The use of adsorption substrates is becoming a common method for P-removal from wastewater. To achieve sustained P-removal from passive wastewater treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, it is essential to select substrates with a high capacity to retain P which can be replaced when saturated. An enriched hemp biochar substrate was added to experimental constructed wetland cells to treat domestic wastewater. Hemp feedstock was treated with hematite, melanterite and dolomite prior to pyrolysis at 400 °C. The amount of P which was present in the wastewater from the biochar wetlands cells after treatment was compared to gravel control wetland cells. During the 7-month study period, the wetlands containing the enriched biochar consistently reduced PO4-P concentrations in primary treated sewage to lower levels than in the control wetlands, with an average inlet P concentration of 15.5 mg/L, to below 2 mg/L. Various analytical methods were used to characterise the changes in the biochar substrate. Concentration of P in the substrate increased by 77% over the test period. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed iron phosphate formation. Scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) showed P captured on the biochar surface was associated with aluminium, silica, iron, magnesium and calcium-rich mineral phases. This study showed that an enriched biochar can be used as a substrate to capture phosphorus in passive wastewater treatment

Hybrid sputtering/evaporation deposition of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells

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Pre-treatment high-sensitivity troponin T for the short-term prediction of cardiac outcomes in patients on immune checkpoint inhibitors

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an emerging option for several advanced metastatic cancers, but may have cardiotoxic effects. The prognostic value of high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) before treatment start has never been investigated. Materials and methods: Thirty consecutive patients underwent measurement of hs-TnT before starting ICI therapy (pembrolizumab, 23%; nivolumab, 12%; atezolizumab, 6%; durvalumab, 5%). The primary endpoint of cardiovascular death, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, pulmonary embolism and new-onset heart failure, and the secondary endpoint of progression of cardiac involvement according to the CARDIOTOX classification were evaluated after 3 months from the first cycle. Results: Patients (median age 68 years, 77% men, 13% with coronary artery disease, 90% current or former smokers, 67% overweight or obese and 43% hypertensive) had a median hs-TnT of 12 ng/L (interquartile interval 8-23). The primary endpoint occurred only in patients with hs-TnT ≥ 14 ng/L at baseline. Therefore, only patients who had hs-TnT ≥ 14 ng/L before the first cycle died had a stroke/TIA or new-onset HF. Furthermore, nine out of 13 patients with the secondary endpoint (progression of cardiac disease) had hs-TnT ≥ 14 ng/L before the first cycle (P =.012). AUC values were 0.909 for the primary endpoint and 0.757 for the secondary endpoint. The best cut-off was 14 ng/L for both the primary (100% sensitivity, 73% specificity) and secondary endpoints (sensitivity 75%, specificity 77%). Conclusions: In patients on ICIs, baseline hs-TnT predicts a composite cardiovascular endpoint and the progression of cardiac involvement at 3 months, with 14 ng/L as the best cut-off