Energy technology最新文献

In this contribution, the photovoltaic performance of indium tin oxide (ITO)/p-Si heterojunction solar cell was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The practical device demonstrated a conversion efficiency of 1.79% with V_oc  = 180 mV, J_sc  = 24.2 mA/cm² and FF = 41%. The possible reasons behind such realized photovoltaic performance were investigated using Automat FOR Simulation of HETerostructures v2.5 (AFORS-HET) software. The study unveiled that high defect density at the ITO/p-Si interface might be responsible for realizing such conversion efficiency. Moreover, the impact of electron affinity and the dielectric constant of the ITO layer on the power conversion efficiency of the device architecture was studied theoretically. However, significant improvement in the device performance was perceived by introducing a thermally grown 1.5 nm SiO_x surface passivation layer at the heterointerface. In this case, the best device showed a conversion efficiency of 3.01% with V_oc= 240 mV, J_sc  = 24.10 mA/cm², and FF = 52%. Furthermore, the simulation study demonstrated that introducing a back surface field layer might also enable the realization of adequate power output.

This study investigated the erosion wear characteristics of a forcing cone (FC) induced by high-speed dense propellant particle groups during the initial internal ballistic phase of a launching system. By coupling the computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) with the initial internal ballistics model, the transient erosion behaviors of two FC components with distinct tapered structures were quantitatively assessed. The FLUENT software was adopted for the CFD simulations. The findings revealed that the mass losses of both types of FCs experience exponential growth over time. In the single-stage FC, the erosion pattern at the left end was characterized by a ring-like distribution, whereas the middle and right ends exhibited irregular cloud-like distributions. In the dual-stage FC, erosion was predominantly concentrated in the first section. The mass loss of the dual-stage FC was significantly lower, showing a 7.3% reduction compared to that of the single-stage FC. From the perspective of erosion evaluation, the dual-stage FC exhibits superior structural performance.

Wearable self-powered sensors offer significant potential for real-time monitoring and behavioral assessment in personalized rehabilitation and neurodevelopmental interventions. In this work, a sodium alginate/silk (SA/silk) composite film–based triboelectric nanogenerator (SS-TENG) is developed for bio-mechanical energy harvesting and motion monitoring in traditional physical training programs for children with autism spectrum disorder. The SA/silk composite provides high mechanical flexibility and stable surface morphology, ensuring consistent triboelectric output during dynamic movements. The SS-TENG delivers a peak open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 195.3 V, short-circuit current (I_SC) of 58.8 μA, and transferred charge (Q_SC) of 174.5 nC, with a maximum power of 4.3 mW. Its output is highly sensitive to changes in force, frequency, and displacement, enabling precise detection of activity intensity. The device also demonstrates strong energy storage capability by effectively charging capacitors. When integrated into footwear, the SS-TENG enables battery-free, real-time monitoring of gait and movement. Notably, it distinguishes between neurotypical and autistic motor behaviors during walking, running, and jumping based on characteristic signal patterns. These results demonstrate the SS-TENG's potential as a wearable, self-powered platform for quantitative evaluation of sports-based interventions, supporting early diagnosis and personalized training in autism spectrum disorder therapy.

Defects in photovoltaic (PV) panels significantly influence solar PV generation, necessitating accurate determination of defect location, size, and severity. Conventional detection methods suffer from limitations such as complexity, long cycle times, and high costs, which hinder rapid, large-scale reliability assessments. Recently, imaging approaches have emerged as nondestructive, rapid, and high-throughput alternatives for PV defect evaluation. This review provides a systematic investigation of the research progress at the intersection of imaging-based methods and AI algorithms for PV defect detection. The advantages and disadvantages of integrating imaging techniques with AI algorithms across various aspects of PV panel defect evaluation are comprehensively discussed to clarify the application prospects for practical defect assurance in PV panels. Compared to traditional inspection methods, the integrated approach combining imaging-based techniques with AI algorithms enables real-time, precise, and intelligent defect detection in PV panels. Furthermore, future trends of combining these imaging techniques with AI algorithms across various aspects of PV panel defect evaluation are also comprehensively introduced in this study.

Waste leather (pig/cattle/sheep) was converted into nitrogen-doped carbon sheets via high-temperature carbonization and CO₂ activation. Characterization via thermogravimetric analysis, a scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed nitrogen-doped carbon sheets feature a 748 m² g⁻¹ surface area, hierarchical micro-mesopores, and 4.55 at% nitrogen. Electrochemical tests in 6 M KOH showed SL-CAC electrodes exhibit 197.6 F g⁻¹ capacitance (0.3 A g⁻¹), 61.3% rate retention (0.3–5 A g⁻¹), and 98.36% stability over 10 000 cycles. Performance gains stem from enhanced ion transport via porous structure, nitrogen-induced pseudocapacitance, and reduced resistance from integrated design. This work enables sustainable leather waste recycling and advanced supercapacitor electrode development.

This study explores sustainable alternatives for supercapacitor fabrication by integrating environmentally friendly carbon materials and efficient electrode processing techniques. Traditional supercapacitors rely heavily on expensive, nonrenewable, chemically synthesized carbon nanomaterials and are typically fabricated via time-intensive N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)-based slurry casting. To address these limitations, two complementary approaches are presented. First, high-performance graphene-like carbon is synthesized from commercial AC (YEC-8B), using electrochemical exfoliation (EEG). Second, electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is demonstrated as a scalable method for depositing biomass-based (derived from waste hazelnut shells) activated carbon (BAC) or composites of BAC and EEG onto nickel foam current collectors, achieving a specific capacitance of 150 F g⁻¹ and a power density of 21 kW kg⁻¹. These electrodes are tested with both pure and hybrid water-in-salt electrolytes in A7 pouch cell supercapacitors. The pouch cell configuration that is equipped with commercially sourced composite AC and EEG electrodes shows superior capacitance retention, with 10% improvements at 10–40 A g⁻¹ during cycling, compared to the counterparts prepared from waste biomass.

In order to explore efficient oxygen carriers (OCs) for chemical looping combustion (CLC), this article investigates Bayan Obo iron concentrate-based Cu-Fe composite OCs with varying Cu/Fe mass ratios (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2) for CLC performance using thermogravimetric analysis (temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), isothermal reduction, redox cycling) and characterization (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)). The TPR tests reveal a three-stage reduction pathway of CuFe₂O₄ with CO: CuFe₂O₄ → Cu + Fe₃O₄ → FeO → Fe. The 1:1 Cu/Fe ratio OCs exhibit good reducibility, with a 4.32% higher mass loss than raw iron concentrate, lower mass-loss commencing temperature than other ratios (280°C), higher oxygen release than other ratios above 806°C under N₂, which intensifies with temperature, and high kinetic activity (always the first to reach equilibrium in isothermal reduction test). In 11 thermogravimetric redox cycles, the 1:1 Cu/Fe ratio sample maintains high reduction conversion, showing a maximum mass loss difference of 5.09% compared to the iron concentrate. Its stable mass loss over the initial seven cycles demonstrates its good cycling stability.

The cover image is based on the article Electrochemical Properties for Hydrogen Production of Nitrogen-Doped Sponge-Like Carbon Nanotubes as High-Surface Area Catalyst by IPICYT López-Urías et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.202500964.

Molten salt thermocline storage systems provide significant cost advantages for concentrated solar power, although their thermal performance is constrained by internal thermal resistance within solid fillers. This study establishes a coupled model integrating solid heat conduction and molten salt convection to analyze thermal resistance between molten salt and solid interfaces. System optimization evaluates key parameters including solid thermal conductivity, filler diameter, molten salt thermal conductivity, and inlet velocity. Results indicate that solid thermal resistance impedes solid-salt heat transfer, with optimal solid thermal conductivity maximizing discharging efficiency. As filler diameter increases from 0.025 to 0.045 m, the optimal solid thermal conductivity rises by 3 W (m K)⁻¹, while the discharging efficiency decreases ≈1.8%. At the optimal solid thermal conductivity, moderate reduction of molten salt thermal conductivity increases discharging efficiency by 3.46%. Reduced inlet velocity further diminishes efficiency, requiring elevated molten salt thermal conductivity to enhance thermal performance at lower flow rates. These findings demonstrate that synergistic optimization of solid thermal conductivity and molten salt thermal conductivity under variable operating conditions can significantly enhance thermocline storage efficiency.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have rapidly advanced in photovoltaic research, achieving power conversion efficiencies up to 27%. However, the toxicity of lead (Pb) and the inherent instability of these materials hinder their commercial adoption. To address these issues, Pb-free perovskites such as layered (2-dimensional) cesium antimony iodide (Cs₃Sb₂I₉) have been investigated for their environmental compatibility and promising optoelectronic properties. However, their efficiencies remain lower than those of Pb-based analogs, and stability is still a challenge. A significant contributor to device instability is the use of doped hole-transport materials, where hygroscopic dopant salts promote moisture ingress and accelerate degradation. Herein, we examine the influence of dopant-free hole transport materials, P3HT, PTB7, and CuSCN, on the performance and stability of layered Cs₃Sb₂I₉ PSCs. Planar devices incorporating PTB7 and CuSCN achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 2.05% and 2.26%, respectively, while P3HT yielded the highest PCE of 2.44%, ranking among the best efficiencies reported for this type of solar cell. These findings highlight the potential of dopant-free HTMs to enhance both efficiency and stability in lead-free PSCs.