VIPV - Page 2

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, India have developed a series of perovskite-based catalysts capable of efficiently producing hydrogen under ambient conditions. The end application of this research could be in the automotive and energy sectors, according to the statement issued by IIT Jodhpur. The developed catalysts are lanthanides-based perovskite nanocomposite materials for artificial photosynthesis. In the patented method, the researchers have used natural sunlight to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen, using a recyclable catalyst based on low-cost, simple transition metal.

The research team screened over 100 catalyst combinations to develop five sets of catalysts that gave high hydrogen production under sunlight. The catalysts work for wastewater, saline water and brackish water. They are recyclable and can be used multiple times. Lanthanide-based catalytic systems gave the best results and were found effective in continuous pure hydrogen production for 7.5 hours.

Researchers from Peking University, China Automotive Technology and Research Center, Beijing Institute of Technology and Jiangnan University recently demonstrated the ability of tuning the Fermi level of the hole transport layer (HTL) to reduce the energy level difference (Schottky barrier) between HTLs and Cu. In addition, the team identified that the balance of energy level difference between HTL and adjacent layers (including perovskite and Cu) is crucial to efficient carrier transportation and photovoltaic performance improvement in the PSCs.

The team's effort was aimed at addressing the challenge of developing low-cost and stable metal electrodes, which could be very important for mass production of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). As an earth-abundant element, Cu becomes an alternative candidate to replace noble metal electrodes such as Au and Ag, due to its comparable physiochemical properties with simultaneously good stability and low cost. However, the undesirable band alignment associated with the device architecture impedes the exploration of efficient Cu-based n-i-p PSCs.

Recent reports claim that South Korea's Hyundai auto group has teamed up with a research team at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) to develop new perovskite solar cells that can charge vehicles while they are under the sun. 

Hyundai Motor already released solar roofs with silicon solar panels, but their acceptance has been slow without improvements in weight and efficiency, as silicon solar cells are quite heavy and have technical limitations in improving efficiency. In a recent ceremony, the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) opened a joint laboratory with Hyundai to develop high-efficiency, large-area perovskite-silicon tandem cells and apply them to solar roofs. The joint laboratory will operate for three years until May 2025.

The Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), aiming to fast-track tandem solar technology's time to market, has put two new high-performance coating plants into operation.

The systems produce tandem solar cells consisting of a perovskite solar cell that can be combined with other types of solar cells. The various layers are deposited under ultra-clean conditions. Companies in the solar sector can take advantage of these capabilities to optimize their developments in the area of tandem solar cells.

An international research group has designed a semi-transparent perovskite solar cell that reportedly shows an improved open-circuit voltage and fill factor thanks to plasmonic enhancement.

The technique is based on the enhancement of the cell's electromagnetic field through metal nanostructures, which improves the device's low optical absorption in the visible spectrum. The research team designed the tech with applications in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) in mind, but it can also be suitable for automotive and smart glasses.