Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Solar Energy News .




SOLAR DAILY
New light-converting materials over cheap, efficient solar power
by Staff Writers
Toronto, Canada (SPX) Jan 30, 2015


This is a pure perovskite crystal, orange in colour, is mounted on a cryostat. Image courtesy U of T Engineering.

University of Toronto engineers study first single crystal perovskites for new applications Engineers have shone new light on an emerging family of solar-absorbing materials that could clear the way for cheaper and more efficient solar panels and LEDs.

The materials, called perovskites, are particularly good at absorbing visible light, but had never been thoroughly studied in their purest form: as perfect single crystals.

Using a new technique, researchers grew large, pure perovskite crystals and studied how electrons move through the material as light is converted to electricity.

Led by Professor Ted Sargent of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto and Professor Osman Bakr of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the team used a combination of laser-based techniques to measure selected properties of the perovskite crystals.

By tracking down the rapid motion of electrons in the material, they have been able to determine the diffusion length--how far electrons can travel without getting trapped by imperfections in the material--as well as mobility--how fast the electrons can move through the material. Their work was published this week in the journal Science.

"Our work identifies the bar for the ultimate solar energy-harvesting potential of perovskites," says Riccardo Comin, a post-doctoral fellow with the Sargent Group. "With these materials it's been a race to try to get record efficiencies, and our results indicate that progress is slated to continue without slowing down.."

In recent years, perovskite efficiency has soared to certified efficiencies of just over 20 per cent, beginning to approach the present-day performance of commercial-grade silicon-based solar panels mounted in Spanish deserts and on Californian roofs.

"In their efficiency, perovskites are closely approaching conventional materials that have already been commercialized," says Valerio Adinolfi, a PhD candidate in the Sargent Group and co-first author on the paper. "They have the potential to offer further progress on reducing the cost of solar electricity in light of their convenient manufacturability from a liquid chemical precursor."

The study has obvious implications for green energy, but may also enable innovations in lighting. Think of a solar panel made of perovskite crystals as a fancy slab of glass: light hits the crystal surface and gets absorbed, exciting electrons in the material. Those electrons travel easily through the crystal to electrical contacts on its underside, where they are collected in the form of electric current.

Now imagine the sequence in reverse--power the slab with electricity, inject electrons, and release energy as light. A more efficient electricity-to-light conversion means perovskites could open new frontiers for energy-efficient LEDs.

Parallel work in the Sargent Group focuses on improving nano-engineered solar-absorbing particles called colloidal quantum dots. "Perovskites are great visible-light harvesters, and quantum dots are great for infrared," says Professor Sargent. "The materials are highly complementary in solar energy harvesting in view of the sun's broad visible and infrared power spectrum."

"In future, we will explore the opportunities for stacking together complementary absorbent materials," says Dr. Comin. "There are very promising prospects for combining perovskite work and quantum dot work for further boosting the efficiency."


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








SOLAR DAILY
Demystifying nanocrystal solar cells
Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Jan 29, 2015
Scientists are focusing on nanometre-sized crystals for the next generation of solar cells. These nanocrystals have excellent optical properties. Compared with silicon in today's solar cells, nanocrystals can be designed to absorb a larger fraction of the solar light spectrum. However, the development of nanocrystal-based solar cells is challenging: "These solar cells contain layers of man ... read more


SOLAR DAILY
Researchers produce two bio-fuels from a single algae

Researchers identify materials to improve biofuel and petroleum processing

Study yields surprising insights into the effects of wood fuel burning

Boeing, Embraer team for aviation biofuel

SOLAR DAILY
Canadian students design robotic sailboat for Atlantic challenge

Upgraded Atlas ready to go wireless at next DARPA Robotics Challenge

Artificial intelligence future wows Davos elite

This robot has the mind of a worm

SOLAR DAILY
150-MW Briscoe wind project fully funded

New wind farm study a load of hot air

Dulas to acquire fleet of ZephIR Lidars for rental to UK wind market

Offshore wind would boost jobs, energy more than oil: study

SOLAR DAILY
Uber steers anti-taxi idea to become global phenomenon

Reassure EV buyers with battery leasing and better charging

Dutch approve large-scale testing of self-driving cars

Ford goes Silicon Valley with new research center

SOLAR DAILY
Generating Mobius strips of light

Visualizing interacting electrons in a molecule

Scientists in chart latest discoveries of iron-based superconductors

Optimizing optimization algorithms

SOLAR DAILY
Westinghouse Accompanies Historic US Delegation To India

Russia to create water decontamination station for Fukushima-1

World nuke energy center shifts to Asia

Fukushima Water Cleanup Misses Targets, Completion Delayed Until May

SOLAR DAILY
Russia and DPRK May Develop $20-30 Billion Power Grid Project

Patents provide insight on Wall Street 'technology arms race'

Towards a scientific process freed from systemic bias

US Vows to Help Prop Up Bulgarian Security, Diversify Energy Supplies

SOLAR DAILY
Warming climate may change the composition of northern forests

China confirms 155 detained in Myanmar for illegal logging

Warmer, drier climate altering forests throughout California

New restoration focus for western dry forests




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.