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    Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    New Advance toward more Practical, Low-cost, “Greener” Solar Cells with halide perovskite

    September 29, 2016, Categories  Technology/Electronics, Chemistry/Nanotechnology, Physics

    Mixed tin (Sn)–lead (Pb) perovskites with high Sn content exhibit low bandgaps suitable for fabricating the bottom cell of perovskite-based tandem solar cells. In this work, we report on the fabrication of efficient mixed Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells using precursors combining formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3) and methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). The best-performing cell fabricated using a (FASnI3)0.6(MAPbI3)0.4 absorber with an absorption edge of ∼1.2 eV achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.08 (15.00)% with an open-circuit voltage of 0.795 (0.799) V, a short-circuit current density of 26.86(26.82) mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 70.6(70.0)% when measured under forward (reverse) voltage scan. The average PCE of 50 cells we have fabricated is 14.39 ± 0.33%, indicating good reproducibility.

    Mixed tin (Sn)–lead (Pb) perovskites with high Sn content exhibit low bandgaps suitable for fabricating the bottom cell of perovskite-based tandem solar cells. In this work, we report on the fabrication of efficient mixed Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells using precursors combining formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3) and methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). The best-performing cell fabricated using a (FASnI3)0.6(MAPbI3)0.4 absorber with an absorption edge of ∼1.2 eV achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.08 (15.00)% with an open-circuit voltage of 0.795 (0.799) V, a short-circuit current density of 26.86(26.82) mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 70.6(70.0)% when measured under forward (reverse) voltage scan. The average PCE of 50 cells we have fabricated is 14.39 ± 0...

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    Discovery: A New Form of Light

    September 27, 2016, Categories  Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    University of Vermont doctoral student Morgan Cousins holds up a sample of a solution of strange rotor molecules made from boron-based dye. Led by UVM chemistry professor Matt Liptak (on left), she was part of a team that tested the dye and discovered how the molecules can release a bright fluorescent glow--it's a new method to create light. The new light may have many promising applications including novel kinds of LED bulbs and medical imaging. Their results were published in the journal Nature Chemistry. Credit: Joshua Brown

    University of Vermont doctoral student Morgan Cousins holds up a sample of a solution of strange rotor molecules made from boron-based dye. Led by UVM chemistry professor Matt Liptak (on left), she was part of a team that tested the dye and discovered how the molecules can release a bright fluorescent glow–it’s a new method to create light. The new light may have many promising applications including novel kinds of LED bulbs and medical imaging. Their results were published in the journal Nature Chemistry. Credit: Joshua Brown

    Glow-in-the-dark stickers, weird deep-sea fish, LED lightbulbs – all have forms of luminescence. In other words, instead of just reflecting light, they make their own...

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    Cell Phones and Apple watches could last a little longer due to a new method to create Copper Nanowires

    September 23, 2016, Categories  Chemistry/Nanotechnology

    Scientists purify copper nanowires

    An illustration of the separation process from a mixture of various copper nanocrystal shapes (two tubes to the left) to pure nanowires and nanoparticles (two tubes to the right). Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

    A team of LLNL scientists have created a new method to purify copper nanowires with a near-100% yield. These nanowires are often used in nanoelectronic applications. The research shows how the method can yield large quantities of long, uniform, high-purity copper nanowires. High-purity copper nanowires meet the requirements of nanoelectronic applications as well as provide an avenue for purifying industrial-scale synthesis of copper nanowires, a key step for commercialization and application. Metal nanowires (NWs) hold promise for commercial applications eg...

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    Coffee-Infused Foam removes Lead / Mercury from Contaminated Water

    September 22, 2016, Categories  Chemistry/Nanotechnology, Environment/Geology

    Spent Coffee Bioelastomeric Composite Foams ( 60 wt % of spent coffee powder and 40 wt % of silicone elastomer using the sugar leaching technique) for the Removal of Pb2+ and Hg2+ from Water

    Spent Coffee Bioelastomeric Composite Foams ( 60 wt % of spent coffee powder and 40 wt % of silicone elastomer using the sugar leaching technique) for the Removal of Pb2+ and Hg2+ from Water

    Scientists now report an innovative way to reduce this waste and help address another environmental problem. They have incorporated spent coffee grounds in a foam filter that can remove harmful lead and mercury from water. Restaurants, the beverage industry and people in their homes produce millions of tons of used coffee grounds every year worldwide, according to researcher Despina Fragouli.

    While much of the used grounds go to landfills, some of them are applied as fertilizer, used as a biodiesel source or mixed into animal feed...

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