13 research outputs found
Roadmap on energy harvesting materials
Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g. combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g. smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and radiofrequency wireless power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyses the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere
Engineering of Interface and Bulk Properties in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Thin-Film Solar Cells with Ultrathin CuAlO2 Intermediate Layer and Ge Doping
Recently, kesterite-based absorbers and related compounds have been considered as promising eco-friendly light absorber materials for thin-film solar cells (TFSCs). However, the device performances of kesterite-based TFSCs are limited because of the formation of defects and poor interfacial properties. In this study, we developed a strategic approach to improve the device performances of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells using back-interface passivation of the absorber layer and further reduced the formation of defects through Ge doping. The application of CuAlO2 (CAO) as an intermediate layer near the back interface efficiently improves the grain growth and minimizes the detrimental Mo(S,Se)2 thickness. In addition, the Ge nanolayer deposited over the CAO layer improves the absorber bulk quality, effectively suppresses the defect density, and reduces the nonradiative carrier recombination losses. As a result, the short-circuit current density, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency of the champion device with the CAO and Ge nanolayer improved from 31.91 to 36.26 mA/cm2, 0.55 to 0.61, and 8.58 to 11.01%, respectively. This study demonstrates a potential approach to improve the performances of CZTSSe TFSCs using a combination of back-interface passivation and doping
Roadmap on Energy Harvesting Materials
Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g., combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g., smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and electromagnetic power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyzes the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere
Recommended from our members
Benign methylformamidinium byproduct induced by cation heterogeneity inhibits local formation of delta-phase perovskites
Efforts to enhance the efficiency and stability of formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite
solar cells (PSCs) have primarily focused on employing methylammonium chloride (MACl) as an
effective additive. MACl significantly improves the crystallinity and lowers the -to- phase transition
temperature of FAPbI3, thereby contributing to the remarkable efficiency of these solar cells. However,
upon evaporation with deprotonation of MACl during annealing, the highly reactive methylamine leads
to the formation of N-methylformamidinium (MFA+) cations. Despite their potential for significant
influence on the properties of FAPbI3 perovskites, the chemical and optoelectronic characteristics of
MFA+ in FAPbI3 remain poorly understood. This study investigates the unexplored role of MFA+ in
FAPbI3 perovskite with MACl incorporation through advanced nanoscale characterization techniques,
including photo-induced force microscopy (PiFM), four-dimensional scanning transmission electron
microscopy, and wavelength-dependent Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). We reveal that MACl
induces compositional heterogeneities, particularly formamidinium (FA+) and MFA+ cation
inhomogeneities. Surprisingly, MACl selectively promotes the formation of MFAPbI3 at grain
boundaries (GBs) and as clusters near GBs. Additionally, we confirm that MFAPbI3 is a wide bandgap,
and charge carriers are effectively separated at GBs and clusters enriched with MFAPbI3. This is
particularly interesting because MFAPbI3, despite its crystal structural similarity to yellow phase δ-
FAPbI3, displays a high surface photovoltage, and does not deteriorate the solar cell performance. This
study not only provides insights into the byproduct formation of MFA+ induced by local cation
Page 21 of 49 Energy & Environmental Science
heterogeneity after employing MACl, but also guides a crucial perspective for optimizing
formamidinium-based PSC design and performance
Recommended from our members
Synergetic Effect of Aluminum Oxide and Organic Halide Salts on Two-Dimensional Perovskite Layer Formation and Stability Enhancement of Perovskite Solar Cells
Funder: Australian Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000923Funder: ARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low Energy Electronics TechnologiesAbstractLong‐chain organic halide salts are widely used in perovskite‐based optoelectronic devices for surface passivation owing to their capability to interact with the surface defects of perovskites. Here, aluminum oxide (AlOx) is introduced via atomic layer deposition onto octylammonium iodide (OAI) to exploit the benefits of organic halide salts without generating undesired defects. The devices incorporating AlOx on OAI‐treated perovskite (OAI/AlOx) show enhancement in both device performance and photo‐stability compared to those with only treatment. A diffusion of aluminum from AlOx into the perovskite through surface characterization contributes to a uniform photo‐generated carrier transport in both the surface and the bulk of the perovskite absorber. In addition, it is revealed that light‐induced two‐dimensional perovskite formation on OAI/AlOx. This may be ascribed to preventing the loss of OA cations due to the presence of AlOx, leading to a decrease in the number of iodine anions which suppresses the light‐induced degradation of corresponding devices. Consequently, the devices show over 24% efficiency and retain their efficiency over 1000 hours under continuous light illumination.</jats:p
Near-field sub-diffraction photolithography with an elastomeric photomask
Photolithography is the prevalent microfabrication technology. It needs to meet resolution and yield demands at a cost that makes it economically viable. However, conventional far-field photolithography has reached the diffraction limit, which imposes complex optics and short-wavelength beam source to achieve high resolution at the expense of cost efficiency. Here, we present a cost-effective near-field optical printing approach that uses metal patterns embedded in a flexible elastomer photomask with mechanical robustness. This technique generates sub-diffraction patterns that are smaller than 1/10(th) of the wavelength of the incoming light. It can be integrated into existing hardware and standard mercury lamp, and used for a variety of surfaces, such as curved, rough and defect surfaces. This method offers a higher resolution than common light-based printing systems, while enabling parallel-writing. We anticipate that it will be widely used in academic and industrial productions. © The Author(s) 202
Recommended from our members
Roadmap on energy harvesting materials
Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g. combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g. smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and radiofrequency wireless power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyses the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere
Roadmap on energy harvesting materials
Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g. combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g. smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and radiofrequency wireless power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyses the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere.M C thanks the Centre Québécois sur les Matériaux Fonctionnels (CQMF, a Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies strategic network) and A L thanks the Canada Research Chairs program for financial support. G C W thanks the University of Calgary. This work was authored in part by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 with writing support for BWL by ARPA-E DIFFERENTIATE program under Grant No. DE-AR0001215. The views expressed in the article do not necessarily represent the views of the DOE or the U.S. Government.Peer reviewe