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Perovskite solar cells surpass 20 percent efficiency

EPFL researchers have achieved the highest performance ever measured for larger-size perovskite solar cells, reaching over 20% efficiency. This breakthrough could lead to increased efficiency in hybrid solar panels that combine perovskites with silicon, potentially exceeding 30% efficiency.

Light can 'heal' defects in new solar cell materials

Researchers at MIT have discovered a process to remove defects in new solar cell materials using intense light, improving their efficiency and consistency. The technique, called photo-induced cleaning, uses illumination to migrate ions that sweep away most of the defects in the material.

Syracuse University chemists add color to chemical reactions

Researchers design a perovskite nanoparticle that changes color when interacting with ions and small molecules during chemical reactions. This allows for qualitative monitoring of reactions with the naked eye and quantitative analysis with simple instrumentation.

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Cooling, time in the dark preserve perovskite solar power

Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory found that perovskite solar cells degrade due to accumulated charge carriers and self-heal when exposed to darkness. Temperature control can stabilize device performance by reducing degradation mechanisms.

Flipping a chemical switch helps perovskite solar cells beat the heat

Researchers at Brown University have developed a new method to convert one type of perovskite into another, improving thermal stability and light absorption. The technique uses gas-based methods to flip the chemical switch, preserving the microstructure and morphology of the material.

ORNL tracks how halogen atoms compete to grow 'winning' perovskites

ORNL researchers have found a potential path to improve solar cell efficiency by understanding the competition among halogen atoms during perovskite synthesis. The study reveals that bromine, chlorine, and iodine ions facilitate growth but only iodine gets into the final crystal structure.

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Solar cell material can recycle light to boost efficiency

Scientists have discovered that hybrid lead halide perovskites can recycle light, a finding that could lead to large gains in solar cell efficiency. This process creates a concentration effect inside the cell, enhancing energy efficiency and potentially reaching efficiencies well beyond current silicon-based cells.

Cheaper solar cells with 20.2 percent efficiency

EPFL scientists have engineered a molecularly engineered hole-transporting material for perovskite solar cells, achieving competitive power-conversion efficiency of 20.2%. The new material is significantly cheaper to synthesize and purify than existing alternatives.

Photovoltaics? On perovskites produced by mechanochemistry!

Researchers from Warsaw University of Technology develop a mechanochemical process to synthesize perovskites, which can be used in high-efficiency solar cells. The new method is environmentally friendly and produces higher-quality materials than traditional methods.

Optimum band gap for hybrid silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell

Researchers have developed a hybrid silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell with an optimum band gap of 1.75eV, achieving a significant increase in efficiency due to improved light absorption and stability. This breakthrough could lead to the development of high-efficiency solar modules with increased theoretical maximum efficiency.

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Visualizing atoms of perovskite crystals

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) researchers conduct the first atomic resolution study of organic-inorganic perovskites used in next generation solar cells. The study reveals positions and orientations of atoms and molecules, providing detailed information on structural defects.

Stable perovskite cell boosts solar power efficiency

Researchers added cesium to perovskite solar cells, increasing thermal and photostability while maintaining high efficiency. The modified cells showed a boost in efficiency when layered on top of silicon photovoltaics, potentially achieving over 25% efficiency.

Surface physics: How water learns to dance

Water molecules on the surface of perovskites exhibit unusual behavior, where they split into two parts but continue to interact through weak hydrogen bonds. This interaction causes the OH group to circle the hydrogen atom like a dancer spinning on a pole, a phenomenon predicted by theory and confirmed through experiments.

Tandem solar cells are simply better

Researchers at EMPA have developed tandem solar cells that convert a larger portion of light energy into electricity, using polycrystalline thin films and semi-transparent perovskite film. The new process enables large area low-cost processing and flexible plastic or metal foils as substrates.

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Researchers create cheaper, high performing LED

Researchers from Florida State University have created a new type of high-performing LED using organometal halide perovskites, which outshines traditional LEDs by about 25 times. The material is also quick and easy to produce, reducing production costs.

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Research improves efficiency from larger perovskite solar cells

Researchers at Brown University have developed a new fabrication method to attain better than 15-percent energy conversion efficiency from perovskite solar cells larger than one square centimeter area. The process, which involves growing ultra-smooth films of perovskite crystals, reduces defects and increases efficiency.

A different type of 2-D semiconductor

Researchers successfully grew atomically thin 2D sheets of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites from solution, exhibiting efficient photoluminescence, color-tunability, and unique structural relaxation. The ultrathin sheets have square-shaped geometry, high quality crystallinity, and large size, facilitating their integration into futu...

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Brown University to lead $4-million solar cell research grant

A Brown University-led team has received a $4 million grant to study perovskite solar cells, aiming to improve efficiency and scalability. The researchers will focus on understanding the basic science behind these solar cells, developing new technologies, and investigating lead-free compositions.

Perovskite solar technology shows quick energy returns

A new study by Northwestern University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory found that perovskite solar modules have a significantly shorter energy payback time than existing options, with some models returning energy investment in just two to three months. The researchers also analyzed the environmental impa...

Depletion and enrichment of chlorine in perovskites observed

Researchers have found that chlorine is depleted from the surface of perovskite absorber layers during processing, while its concentration near the interface with a titanium dioxide layer is higher. This distribution could help mitigate recombination and provide a template for growing the film.

Pinholes be gone!

Scientists at OIST eliminated problematic pinholes in perovskite solar cells, significantly improving their lifetime and reducing thickness. The breakthrough enables more efficient energy conversion, with improved durability and potential cost-effectiveness.

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New kind of 'tandem' solar cell developed

Researchers have developed a new tandem solar cell that combines two types of photovoltaic material to harvest a broader range of the sun's energy. The new cell achieves an efficiency of 13.7 percent, which could be improved to over 30 percent with low-cost modifications.

A new method for making perovskite solar cells

A new method for making perovskite solar cells has been developed by researchers at Brown University, which involves a room-temperature solvent bath to create perovskite crystals. The technique produces high-quality crystalline films with precise control over thickness across large areas.

Uncovering the secrets of super solar power perovskites

Researchers at the University of Utah have uncovered the secrets behind hybrid perovskite solar cell performance, enabling rapid testing using magnetic fields. The study confirms a new mechanism that explains the material's high efficiency, shedding light on its behavior and potential for optimization.

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Solar cells get growth boost

Researchers at OIST discovered that growing Perovskite films in ambient air instead of a nitrogen atmosphere results in larger grain sizes, making solar cells more efficient. The study's findings could significantly reduce costs associated with climate control machinery.

Pinholes are pitfalls for high performance solar cells

High-performance solar cells with a combination of materials like perovskite and spiro-MeOTAD are plagued by tiny pinholes, allowing water and gases to degrade the material. Researchers at OIST Graduate University believe these minuscule openings could be key to understanding the degradation of perovskite, leading to potential solutions.

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Perovskites provide big boost to silicon solar cells, Stanford study finds

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a novel perovskite-silicon tandem device that dramatically improves the overall efficiency of conventional silicon solar cells. The device achieves an efficiency boost of nearly 50% with relatively low cost, making it a promising solution for the renewable energy sector.

UNL researcher wins federal grant for groundbreaking solar energy project

A UNL researcher has received a $1.2 million grant to improve the efficiency of solar cells using perovskite technology, aiming for at least 30% efficiency. The project seeks to refine silicon-based cells by overlaying them with perovskite, taking advantage of the material's natural abundance and properties.

Recycling old batteries into solar cells

A system proposed by MIT researchers recycles materials from discarded car batteries to produce long-lasting solar panels, providing emissions-free power. The production process uses a compound called perovskite, which has achieved power-conversion efficiency of over 19 percent.

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Notre Dame paper offers insights into a new class of semiconducting materials

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have discovered a new class of hybrid perovskites with exceptional performance in solid-state thin film solar cells. The materials demonstrate high light-to-electricity conversion efficiencies approaching 20% and are easy to process using coating and printing techniques.

LEDs made from 'wonder material' perovskite

A hybrid form of perovskite has been used to make high-brightness LEDs with a simple and scalable process, potentially replacing conventional methods. The results could provide a lot of value to the flat-panel display industry.

A new stable and cost-cutting type of perovskite solar cell

A team of scientists in China has developed a new type of perovskite solar cell that does not use a hole-transportation layer, showing high efficiency and stability. The innovation reduces production costs and paves the way for a cost-effective branch of development in this type of solar cell.

Lower mantle chemistry breakthrough

Scientists have discovered a significant difference in lower mantle chemistry, shifting from a single ferromagnesian silicate mineral to two distinct phases, including an iron-rich and hexagonal structure called H-phase. This finding challenges geodynamic models and may lead to new discoveries about the deep Earth.

Taking the lead out of a promising solar cell

Northwestern University researchers have developed a new solar cell with good efficiency that uses tin instead of lead perovskite. The low-cost, environmentally friendly solar cell can be made easily using 'bench' chemistry.

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NREL unlocking secrets of new solar material

Researchers at NREL have discovered a new solar material, perovskite, that can generate electricity more efficiently than previous materials. The material has a unique ability to diffuse photons a long distance, making it suitable for low-cost and high-efficiency devices.

Revolutionary solar cells double as lasers

Researchers have developed perovskite solar cells that excel at absorbing and emitting light, with a remarkable 70% efficiency rate. These 'wonder cells' can also produce cheap lasers, opening up new applications in telecommunications and light-emitting devices.

Understanding the functioning of a new type of solar cell

Scientists from EPFL investigated how generated electrical charges travel across perovskite surfaces of solar cells built with different architectures. The results showed two main dynamics: charge separation through electron transfer at sub-picosecond timescales, and significantly slower charge recombination for titanium oxide films.

NTU scientists make breakthrough solar technology

NTU scientists have made a breakthrough in solar technology by developing a new material that is five times cheaper to produce and generates almost as much power as current thin film solar cells. The material, called perovskite, converts up to 15% of sunlight to electricity, close to the efficiency of current solar cells.

Dye-sensitized solar cells rival conventional cell efficiency

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) design that increases efficiency to a record 15% without sacrificing stability. This breakthrough overcomes the inherent voltage loss of traditional DSSCs and opens a new era for DSSC development.

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Berkeley researchers take the lead out of piezoelectrics

Researchers at Berkeley Lab discovered a lead-free alternative to piezoelectric materials, bismuth ferrite, which enhances the piezoelectric effect under epitaxial strain. The study demonstrates reversible phase changes in thin films of bismuth ferrite, opening up new possibilities for devices and applications.

Electronic heat trap grips deep Earth

Scientists at Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory found that highly oxidized iron in mantle minerals is crucial for heat transfer in the lower mantle. The discovery challenges current models of mantle dynamics and has significant implications for understanding material movement throughout the planet.

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