Category Chemistry/Nanotechnology

Scientists discovered how to control a material’s properties and stability to develop next-generation solar cells based on newly discovered hybrid perovskites (atomic structure shown above). Simulations revealed that hybrid perovskites could be viewed as super-alkali halides. The schematic illustrates a hybrid perovskite structure where the super halogens are the blue tetrahedrons, the metal atoms are green, and the alkali cation is in the middle (gray structure with pink and black atoms). Journal of Materials Chemistry A

Top: High-resolution electron microscopy images of a nickel silicide rhombic nanocrystal embedded in a silicon nanowire prepared with gold silicide used as a catalyst. The images demonstrate the intimate interactions that arise at the interfaces of these nanomaterials. Bottom: The physical properties that arise from such complex nano-systems could be used in next-generation photodetectors, lasers, and transistors.

Simulated sunlight powers a solar cell that converts atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into syngas. Credit: University of Illinois at Chicago/Jenny Fontaine

At center, in green, is the new three-atom hydrogen ‘chain.’ It is surrounded by several ‘normal’ two-atom molecules of hydrogen, also in green. The new chain configuration appears in the new material NaH7, which was produced under high pressure and high temperature conditions. The new material could change the superconductivity landscape and be useful for hydrogen storage in hydrogen fuel cells. Credit: Image courtesy Duck Young Kim