UCL Researchers Develop High-Efficiency Indoor Solar Cells

Zinc-based #batteries🔋 have significant potential for future high-capacity, low-cost energy storage. Thanks to X-ray tomography experiments at the ESRF on coated zinc electrodes, researchers from UCL, The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford and the ESRF - The European Synchrotron are now a step closer to making practical applications a reality. Professor Paul Shearing, Director of The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford, and co-corresponding author of the study, says: “While improving today’s Li-ion technology remains crucial, it is equally important to pioneer new battery systems, such as Zn system that can meet future demands for safer, more sustainable, and higher-performance energy storage. We have been collaborating with ID19 for over a decade, and their advanced X-ray techniques have been instrumental in supporting us in many ways, from understanding fundamental degradation mechanisms, to improving electrode manufacturing, to enhancing battery safety.” The results are out in Nature Communications. ➡️https://lnkd.in/eDdVbf7E Alexander Rack Wenjia Du Guanjie He Yuhang Dai

🔬 #30DaysOfChemistryResearch – Day 1: Perovskite Solar Cells Are Here to Save the Day! ☀️🔋 Get ready to geek out over one of the coolest advancements in renewable energy: *Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs)*! These materials are taking the world by storm, with efficiencies skyrocketing from ~3% to over *25% in just a decade*. That's almost on par with traditional silicon-based cells, but with some major perks: *cheaper, lighter, and easier to manufacture*! 💡 🌟 Why Should You Care? Energy sustainability is a global challenge, and PSCs could be the game-changers we need. Imagine: - *Low-cost, flexible solar panels* that could power wearable tech! - *Tandem cells* that boost efficiency when layered with silicon - Scalable production using solution-based methods 🔍 What's Being Researched? Scientists are working on: - Enhancing *stability and lifespan* of PSCs in real-world conditions - Reducing *toxicity* (especially lead content) - Exploring *2D perovskites* for better moisture resistance 👩🔬 The Chemistry Behind the Magic This field combines *solid-state chemistry, materials science, photophysics*, and *green chemistry* principles – making it an interdisciplinary powerhouse. The goal? *Affordable and sustainable solar energy for all!* Stay tuned for the next 29 days as we explore more groundbreaking research topics! #chemistryresearch #renewableenergy #perovskites #materialschemistry #solarcells #greentechnology #Day1

🚨 Multiscale model reveals critical microenvironment effects in electrochemical CO2 reduction ⚡ Electrochemical CO2 reduction, which uses electricity to turn #carbondioxide into useful chemicals and #fuels, will be a key technology in the transition from a fossil fuel-based energy and materials economy to a sustainable one. But until now, its industrial implementation has been limited: in particular, scientists have struggled to understand and improve the electrolyte microenvironments that surround catalysts used in electrochemical CO2 reduction reactions. These microenvironments depend on transport properties of molecules and ions in liquid and solid electrolytes and affect reaction rates and product selectivity. Now, researchers led by Sophia Haussener in the Laboratory of Renewable Energy Science and Engineering, in collaboration with Nuria Lopez from ICIQ, have developed a detailed model of these microenvironments that connects atomistic and continuum scales. Now published in #NatureCatalysis, the study provides new insights into electrolyte effects at all scales. Considering a wide range of liquid electrolytes on silver electrodes, the team’s results reveal an inverse relationship between cation concentration and CO2 availability at the catalyst interface. Extending the methodology to realistic membrane/electrode configurations, the team showed that while ionomers can overcome this limitation through fixed background charge concentrations, water management becomes critical to achieve high current densities. Overall, the work could enable optimized microenvironment design for electrochemical CO2 conversion into useful fuels or chemicals – a key step toward #netzero technologies! 🔍 Read the full paper here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e4aXr7fy EPFL | Francesca Lorenzutti | #CO2 | #sustainability | #energy | #sustainablematerials |#catalysts

Our newest paper by Francesca and co-authors on multi-scale modeling of electrochemical CO2 reduction is out in Nature Catalysis (https://lnkd.in/e4aXr7fy). Wonderful collaboration with Nuria Lopez's group at ICIQ. We show that transport and kinetics are closely interlinked.

We are excited to share our new comprehensive review article published in the prestigious journal 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝟒𝟎+), highlighting the rapid advancements in all-perovskite tandem solar cells.. “Recent progress in all-perovskite tandem solar cells and modules: redefining limits”. This review explores recent advancements in materials, device architectures (2T and 4T), performance optimization strategies, and large-area fabrication, while highlighting future directions to boost efficiency, stability, and scalability. We hope this work serves as a valuable resource for researchers and academics striving to innovate in all perovskite tandem solar cells toward commercialization. A special thanks goes to Prashant Kumar, Gyanendra Shankar, Anshu kumar and Dr. Adel Najar for their tremendous efforts. https://lnkd.in/dHnAAiqx #SolarEnergy #Perovskite #Photovoltaics #CleanTech #MaterialsScience #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #Research #Innovation #RenewableEnergy #FutureOfSolar

All-perovskite tandem solar cells have been at the forefront of perovskite research, offering transformative potential for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry. Our latest review paper, “Recent Progress in All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells: Redefining Limits,” published in Progress in Materials Science, provides a comprehensive overview of the most recent breakthroughs and emerging trends in this rapidly advancing field. I extend my sincere thanks to all co-authors for their valuable contributions in making this work possible.

All-perovskite tandems are at the forefront of perovskite research, with the potential to transform the solar PV market. Explore the latest advances in our review ‘Recent Progress in All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells: Redefining Limits’ published in Progress in Materials Science (IF 40). Grateful to all co-authors for making this possible.

Simple Salt Could Help Unlock More Powerful Solar Cells A salt called guanidinium thiocyanate can improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells, a new class of semiconductor that could make solar power cheaper and more powerful, according to researchers at UCL. https://lnkd.in/eKExgNV4 #SolarEnergy #Innovation #Tech #NBIC #nanotechnology #StatNano

☀️ Solar & Light-Based Projects 🌱⚡ 🔹 Parent Materials: Perovskite precursor salts + TiO₂ films 🔹 Research Idea: Fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) using natural dyes like hibiscus 🌺, beetroot ❤️, and turmeric 🌿 🔹 Future Applications: ✅ Affordable Solar Panels – low-cost energy for homes & communities 🏠 ✅ Wearable Photovoltaics – powering electronics on the go 👕⚡ ✅ Green Energy Devices – sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels 🌍 🌞 Why it matters: Uses eco-friendly, natural dyes for clean energy Reduces production costs compared to silicon solar cells Enables flexible, lightweight solar technology 💡With DSSC technology, we can transform everyday natural pigments into power sources, bringing sustainability and affordability to solar energy. #SolarEnergy #DSSC #Perovskite #RenewableEnergy #GreenTech #MaterialsScience #Innovation

🔊 Listening to Batteries: MIT Decodes Lithium-Ion Degradation! ⚡ Exciting progress in battery diagnostics! A research team from MIT Chemical Engineering (ChemE), led by Chevron Professor Martin Bazant, alongside Yash Samantaray, Alexander Cohen, and Daniel Cogswell, has developed a method to decode acoustic emissions from lithium-ion batteries, linking specific sounds to degradation processes like gas formation and material fracturing. This innovation, provides a non-destructive, real-time monitoring approach for battery health, with applications in electric vehicles, grid-scale storage, and battery manufacturing. By identifying early signs of degradation, the technology could improve battery safety, extend lifespan, and optimize predictive maintenance. 📖 Read more about the research here: https://lnkd.in/etbvggcb -Acoustic emissions reveal internal battery degradation mechanisms -Real-time, non-invasive monitoring for batteries in use -Applications in EVs, energy storage, and manufacturing quality control What do you think is the future of non-invasive battery diagnostics? #BatteryTechnology #LithiumIon #EV #EnergyStorage #Engineering #Innovation #Sustainability #MIT #Joule #AcousticMonitoring #PredictiveMaintenance