Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114176
R.P.S. Chakradhar, Shreeja gada , Meenu Srivastava, Harish C. Barshilia
This study presents the development and characterization of high-performance metallic coatings deposited onto carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrates for solar reflector applications. A dense tin (Sn) base layer was applied using cold spray deposition, offering strong mechanical anchoring and thermal compatibility with CFRP. Post-deposition polishing significantly reduced surface roughness, enhancing optical reflectance. To further improve performance, a thin silver (Ag) layer was deposited via DC magnetron sputtering, forming a hybrid bilayer structure. Comprehensive material characterization revealed uniform and adherent coatings with excellent morphological and compositional integrity. Reflectance measurements demonstrated a substantial increase from ∼55 % in the as-sprayed Sn coatings to ∼80 % after polishing, and up to 91–99 % in the Sn–Ag bilayer configuration in the UV–VIS–NIR region (400–2500 nm). Emissivity values concurrently dropped from ∼0.06 to as low as 0.03, indicating excellent thermal radiation suppression. An increase in the optical band gap (∼2.87 eV) due to partial oxidation further contributed to enhanced UV reflectance and environmental stability. The combination of cold-sprayed Sn and sputtered Ag delivers a lightweight, durable, and optically efficient coating system that surpasses conventional stainless steel and aluminum mirrors in performance. This work demonstrates a scalable, low-temperature route for producing advanced reflector coatings on thermally sensitive substrates like CFRP, offering substantial advantages for next-generation solar reflectors.
{"title":"Hybrid metal coatings on carbon fiber reinforced polymer substrates for high-efficiency solar reflectors","authors":"R.P.S. Chakradhar, Shreeja gada , Meenu Srivastava, Harish C. Barshilia","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the development and characterization of high-performance metallic coatings deposited onto carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrates for solar reflector applications. A dense tin (Sn) base layer was applied using cold spray deposition, offering strong mechanical anchoring and thermal compatibility with CFRP. Post-deposition polishing significantly reduced surface roughness, enhancing optical reflectance. To further improve performance, a thin silver (Ag) layer was deposited via DC magnetron sputtering, forming a hybrid bilayer structure. Comprehensive material characterization revealed uniform and adherent coatings with excellent morphological and compositional integrity. Reflectance measurements demonstrated a substantial increase from ∼55 % in the as-sprayed Sn coatings to ∼80 % after polishing, and up to 91–99 % in the Sn–Ag bilayer configuration in the UV–VIS–NIR region (400–2500 nm). Emissivity values concurrently dropped from ∼0.06 to as low as 0.03, indicating excellent thermal radiation suppression. An increase in the optical band gap (∼2.87 eV) due to partial oxidation further contributed to enhanced UV reflectance and environmental stability. The combination of cold-sprayed Sn and sputtered Ag delivers a lightweight, durable, and optically efficient coating system that surpasses conventional stainless steel and aluminum mirrors in performance. This work demonstrates a scalable, low-temperature route for producing advanced reflector coatings on thermally sensitive substrates like CFRP, offering substantial advantages for next-generation solar reflectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114176"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114194
Wenze Feng , Junshuai Zhang , Bingying Sun , Guohui Yang , Jiaxing Jiao , Xiaofan Liu , Tao Ning , Yansu Shan , Ning Li , Jinkai Li , Bingqiang Cao
Interface engineering with organic molecules has been proven to be an effective way to improve both photovoltaic performance and operation stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). But in-depth understanding the influences of electronic effect of molecular structures on the defect passivation and charge dynamics optimization remains shielded so far. Herein, a series of thiourea-containing molecules with different side groups, including N-phenylthiourea (PTU), (4-nitrophenyl) thiourea (NTU) and (4-methoxyphenyl) thiourea (MTU), have been applied into interface engineering of wide-bandgap (WBG, Eg = 1.67 eV) PSCs. In comparison with PTU, MTU exhibits the strongest defect passivation capacity, and it significantly optimizes the charge extraction and transfer of WBG PSCs due to the electron-donating conjugation effect of -OCH3 group. On the contrary, the electron-withdrawing inductive effect of -NO2 group not only greatly reduces the coordination interaction between the thiourea unit and defective perovskite surface, but also leads to limited energy level arrangement of perovskite films. Consequently, the MTU-treated device achieves the champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.25 % along with excellent open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 1.21 V and short-circuit current density (JSC) of 21.96 mA/cm2. Additionally, the unencapsulated device displays an improved long-term operation stability.
{"title":"Effect of electron-withdrawing/-donating groups of thiourea molecules on surface defects restraint and carrier transport optimization for perovskite solar cells","authors":"Wenze Feng , Junshuai Zhang , Bingying Sun , Guohui Yang , Jiaxing Jiao , Xiaofan Liu , Tao Ning , Yansu Shan , Ning Li , Jinkai Li , Bingqiang Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interface engineering with organic molecules has been proven to be an effective way to improve both photovoltaic performance and operation stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). But in-depth understanding the influences of electronic effect of molecular structures on the defect passivation and charge dynamics optimization remains shielded so far. Herein, a series of thiourea-containing molecules with different side groups, including N-phenylthiourea (PTU), (4-nitrophenyl) thiourea (NTU) and (4-methoxyphenyl) thiourea (MTU), have been applied into interface engineering of wide-bandgap (WBG, <em>E</em><sub>g</sub> = 1.67 eV) PSCs. In comparison with PTU, MTU exhibits the strongest defect passivation capacity, and it significantly optimizes the charge extraction and transfer of WBG PSCs due to the electron-donating conjugation effect of -OCH<sub>3</sub> group. On the contrary, the electron-withdrawing inductive effect of -NO<sub>2</sub> group not only greatly reduces the coordination interaction between the thiourea unit and defective perovskite surface, but also leads to limited energy level arrangement of perovskite films. Consequently, the MTU-treated device achieves the champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.25 % along with excellent open-circuit voltage (<em>V</em><sub>OC</sub>) of 1.21 V and short-circuit current density (<em>J</em><sub>SC</sub>) of 21.96 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, the unencapsulated device displays an improved long-term operation stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114194"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114178
Dheeraj Sah , Karolis Parfeniukas , Roberto Boccardi , Narendra Bandaru , Agata Lachowicz , Bertrand Paviet- Salomon , Benjamin Borie , Mira Baraket , Maksym Plakhotnyuk , Gisele A. Dos Reis Benatto , Sune Thorsteinsson , Peter B. Poulsen , Rasmus Schmidt Davidsen
The present work explores the application of Direct Atomic Layer Processing (DALP®) using NANOFABRICATOR® tool from ATLANT 3D for local edge passivation of laser-scribed cells. Owing to the defects created at the edges by laser scribing, the carrier lifetime decreases significantly in these regions as defects act as recombination centers. To compensate and minimize these losses, a 50 nm blanket layer of TiO2, using titanium iso-propoxide (TTIP) as precursor and water as co-reactant, was deposited locally using atomic layer deposition (ALD) around the edges, thereby covering the impacted areas. Since the precursor, tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), solar cells used here were without metallization, the cell parameters like lifetime, lifetime at maximum power point (Vmpp), implied open circuit voltage (iVoc) and implied fill factor (iFF) are evaluated in this study. The device is probed using a Sinton WCT120-PL tool and MDP Mapper from Freiberg Instruments for lifetime characterization before and after passivation. Layer deposition followed by annealing lead to a significant improvement of 149 μs in lifetime and a gain of 8.6 mV in implied open circuit voltage (iVoc).
{"title":"Local edge passivation of laser-scribed cells for compensating cut losses","authors":"Dheeraj Sah , Karolis Parfeniukas , Roberto Boccardi , Narendra Bandaru , Agata Lachowicz , Bertrand Paviet- Salomon , Benjamin Borie , Mira Baraket , Maksym Plakhotnyuk , Gisele A. Dos Reis Benatto , Sune Thorsteinsson , Peter B. Poulsen , Rasmus Schmidt Davidsen","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present work explores the application of Direct Atomic Layer Processing (DALP®) using NANOFABRICATOR® tool from ATLANT 3D for local edge passivation of laser-scribed cells. Owing to the defects created at the edges by laser scribing, the carrier lifetime decreases significantly in these regions as defects act as recombination centers. To compensate and minimize these losses, a 50 nm blanket layer of TiO<sub>2</sub>, using titanium iso-propoxide (TTIP) as precursor and water as co-reactant, was deposited locally using atomic layer deposition (ALD) around the edges, thereby covering the impacted areas. Since the precursor, tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), solar cells used here were without metallization, the cell parameters like lifetime, lifetime at maximum power point (V<sub>mpp</sub>), implied open circuit voltage (iV<sub>oc</sub>) and implied fill factor (iFF) are evaluated in this study. The device is probed using a Sinton WCT120-PL tool and MDP Mapper from Freiberg Instruments for lifetime characterization before and after passivation. Layer deposition followed by annealing lead to a significant improvement of 149 μs in lifetime and a gain of 8.6 mV in implied open circuit voltage (iV<sub>oc</sub>).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114178"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114177
Qianhong Gao , Zhenhai Yang , Yuqi Zhang , Yu Liang , Yining Bao , Chenhui Zhang , Xiaofeng Li , Yaohui Zhan
Tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) solar cells have demonstrated significant commercial potential, but further efficiency improvements are constrained by challenges in optimizing contact formation between metal electrodes and boron emitters. Laser Enhanced Contact Optimization (LECO) technology has emerged as a promising solution by enabling contact formation at lower sintering temperatures, although its underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. Here, we present a comprehensive photo-electric-thermal coupled simulation study to investigate the complex interplay of electrical, optical, and thermal behaviors during the LECO treatment. Our results demonstrate that extremely high current densities are formed in the contact region, and the reverse bias is the primary factor governing the contact current density, whereas the effects of laser power and spot size are comparatively minor. Moreover, Joule heating, as the decisive factor in raising the local temperature at the Ag-Si interface to the Ag-Si eutectic temperature, contributes nearly 100 % of the required heating. Specifically, reverse bias controls Joule heating and the resulting contact temperature by regulating the current; laser power primarily affects recombination and thermalization heat, thereby exerting a smaller influence on contact temperature; and spot size, by affecting current density and Peltier heating, plays a secondary role in determining the contact temperature.
{"title":"Mechanism insights into laser-enhanced-contact-optimization process in crystalline silicon solar cells via photo-electric-thermal coupled simulations","authors":"Qianhong Gao , Zhenhai Yang , Yuqi Zhang , Yu Liang , Yining Bao , Chenhui Zhang , Xiaofeng Li , Yaohui Zhan","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) solar cells have demonstrated significant commercial potential, but further efficiency improvements are constrained by challenges in optimizing contact formation between metal electrodes and boron emitters. Laser Enhanced Contact Optimization (LECO) technology has emerged as a promising solution by enabling contact formation at lower sintering temperatures, although its underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. Here, we present a comprehensive photo-electric-thermal coupled simulation study to investigate the complex interplay of electrical, optical, and thermal behaviors during the LECO treatment. Our results demonstrate that extremely high current densities are formed in the contact region, and the reverse bias is the primary factor governing the contact current density, whereas the effects of laser power and spot size are comparatively minor. Moreover, Joule heating, as the decisive factor in raising the local temperature at the Ag-Si interface to the Ag-Si eutectic temperature, contributes nearly 100 % of the required heating. Specifically, reverse bias controls Joule heating and the resulting contact temperature by regulating the current; laser power primarily affects recombination and thermalization heat, thereby exerting a smaller influence on contact temperature; and spot size, by affecting current density and Peltier heating, plays a secondary role in determining the contact temperature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114177"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114175
Mengyao Jia , Daming Zhuang , Ming Zhao , Qianming Gong , Hao Tong , Junsu Han , Shengye Tao , Hanpeng Wang , Zhihao Wu , Jihui Zhou
Completely buffer-free CIGSe solar cells feature a simplified device structure that enhances light absorption in the absorber and streamlines the fabrication process. In this study, such simplified-structure CIGSe devices based on Zn1-xMgxO:Al transparent electrodes were fabricated. The Zn1-xMgxO:Al films with varying Mg concentrations were prepared using a co-sputtering method. Experimental results demonstrate that Mg incorporation effectively tunes the energy band structure of Zn1-xMgxO:Al films as well as the band alignment at the Zn1-xMgxO:Al/CIGSe interface, leading to a significant improvement in device performance. Through the introduction of CdS layers with varying thicknesses, this study conducts a systematic analysis and comparative investigation of recombination mechanisms in devices with different p–n junction structures. The carrier recombination rates calculated from VOC–(G,T) measurements indicate that the dominant recombination pathway strongly depends on the device structure. For unoptimized buffer-free cells, severe recombination occurs at the p–n junction interface, due to the band alignment mismatch. This issue was significantly mitigated by introducing a positive conduction band offset at the Zn1-xMgxO:Al/CIGSe interface through Mg doping. As a result, a completely buffer-free CIGSe solar cell fabricated by sputtering process achieved an efficiency of 11.3 %, and the average efficiency showed a 34 % increase, demonstrating the potential of simplified-structure CIGSe solar cells.
{"title":"Unveiling the efficiency potential of simplified-structure CIGSe solar cells: Band alignment optimization and recombination analysis","authors":"Mengyao Jia , Daming Zhuang , Ming Zhao , Qianming Gong , Hao Tong , Junsu Han , Shengye Tao , Hanpeng Wang , Zhihao Wu , Jihui Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Completely buffer-free CIGSe solar cells feature a simplified device structure that enhances light absorption in the absorber and streamlines the fabrication process. In this study, such simplified-structure CIGSe devices based on Zn<sub>1-x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>O:Al transparent electrodes were fabricated. The Zn<sub>1-x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>O:Al films with varying Mg concentrations were prepared using a co-sputtering method. Experimental results demonstrate that Mg incorporation effectively tunes the energy band structure of Zn<sub>1-x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>O:Al films as well as the band alignment at the Zn<sub>1-x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>O:Al/CIGSe interface, leading to a significant improvement in device performance. Through the introduction of CdS layers with varying thicknesses, this study conducts a systematic analysis and comparative investigation of recombination mechanisms in devices with different <em>p–n</em> junction structures. The carrier recombination rates calculated from <em>V</em><sub>OC</sub>–(<em>G</em>,<em>T</em>) measurements indicate that the dominant recombination pathway strongly depends on the device structure. For unoptimized buffer-free cells, severe recombination occurs at the <em>p–n</em> junction interface, due to the band alignment mismatch. This issue was significantly mitigated by introducing a positive conduction band offset at the Zn<sub>1-x</sub>Mg<sub>x</sub>O:Al/CIGSe interface through Mg doping. As a result, a completely buffer-free CIGSe solar cell fabricated by sputtering process achieved an efficiency of 11.3 %, and the average efficiency showed a 34 % increase, demonstrating the potential of simplified-structure CIGSe solar cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114175"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114172
Xian-Xiu Zhu , Gaurav Kumar Silori , Kuo-Chuan Ho
This study explores the electrochemical and electrochromic performance of heterocyclic π-extended viologens as monomers for developing polyviologen-based electrochromic devices (ECDs). The π-extended viologens, containing thiophene- and furan-based bridging, which are electron-rich and highly responsive, were introduced as monomers to synthesize polyviologen derivatives (denoted as poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)benzene), PDPB; poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)thiophene), PDPT; and poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)furan), PDPF). The π-extended polyviologens were synthesized and incorporated into gel-based ECDs to enhance stability by reducing dimerization and lowering the coloration driving voltage. By investigating the reaction mechanism of polyviologen in gel-based ECDs through the use of co-solvents, the research further optimized their electrochromic performance. The focus was on the impact of co-solvents and the optimization of utilized polymer (PVdF-HFP) content to improve ECD's stability, transmittance change (ΔT), and response time. Among the three synthesized polyviologens, PDPF-based ECD demonstrated superior electrochromic properties with a ΔT of 73.2 % and fast coloration (tc) and bleaching (tb) time of 2.2 and 1.9 s respectively. The PDPF-based ECD also showed excellent long-term stability, retaining 94.3 % of its initial ΔT over 20,000 cycles. Notably, strong absorbance in the NIR region, attributed to the π-extended system, indicates potential applications in heat shielding technologies. The results of this study highlight the significance of polymer structure, co-solvents, and optimal PVdF-HFP content in enhancing polyviologen-based ECD performance, particularly in minimizing dimerization and improving stability.
{"title":"Furan and thiophene-based heterocyclic π-extended polyviologens for electrochromic device","authors":"Xian-Xiu Zhu , Gaurav Kumar Silori , Kuo-Chuan Ho","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the electrochemical and electrochromic performance of heterocyclic <em>π</em>-extended viologens as monomers for developing polyviologen-based electrochromic devices (ECDs). The <em>π</em>-extended viologens, containing thiophene- and furan-based bridging, which are electron-rich and highly responsive, were introduced as monomers to synthesize polyviologen derivatives (denoted as poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)benzene), PDPB; poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)thiophene), PDPT; and poly(2,5-di(pyridine-4-yl)furan), PDPF). The <em>π</em>-extended polyviologens were synthesized and incorporated into gel-based ECDs to enhance stability by reducing dimerization and lowering the coloration driving voltage. By investigating the reaction mechanism of polyviologen in gel-based ECDs through the use of co-solvents, the research further optimized their electrochromic performance. The focus was on the impact of co-solvents and the optimization of utilized polymer (PVdF-HFP) content to improve ECD's stability, transmittance change (ΔT), and response time. Among the three synthesized polyviologens, PDPF-based ECD demonstrated superior electrochromic properties with a ΔT of 73.2 % and fast coloration (t<sub>c</sub>) and bleaching (t<sub>b</sub>) time of 2.2 and 1.9 s respectively. The PDPF-based ECD also showed excellent long-term stability, retaining 94.3 % of its initial ΔT over 20,000 cycles. Notably, strong absorbance in the NIR region, attributed to the <em>π</em>-extended system, indicates potential applications in heat shielding technologies. The results of this study highlight the significance of polymer structure, co-solvents, and optimal PVdF-HFP content in enhancing polyviologen-based ECD performance, particularly in minimizing dimerization and improving stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"299 ","pages":"Article 114172"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146006810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-18DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114174
Ayesha Shafiq, Khaled AbouAitah, Beom Soo Kim
The rapid evolution of the solar energy industry has led to the accumulation of photovoltaic panels as waste, causing serious environmental pollution problems. The primary focus of this research was on achieving selective synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the metal mixture commonly found in photovoltaic panel waste, including copper, lead, aluminum, and tin. The experimental procedure involved the initial physical separation of solar panel components, followed by the leaching of silver metal from the silicon wafer using nitric acid. Subsequently, the selective reduction of silver metal into AgNPs was achieved for the first time using plant extract. To identify a suitable reducing agent, eighteen plants were screened. The leaf extract of Moringa oleifera was found to be the most effective reducing and stabilizing agent for synthesizing AgNPs with silver content up to 70 % as analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Quantitative analysis revealed that the yield of AgNPs from the recovered silver metal was 68 %. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis results detected pure AgNPs uncontaminated with other metals.
{"title":"An eco-friendly approach for selective synthesis of silver nanoparticles from metal mixtures extracted from discarded solar panels","authors":"Ayesha Shafiq, Khaled AbouAitah, Beom Soo Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114174","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114174","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid evolution of the solar energy industry has led to the accumulation of photovoltaic panels as waste, causing serious environmental pollution problems. The primary focus of this research was on achieving selective synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the metal mixture commonly found in photovoltaic panel waste, including copper, lead, aluminum, and tin. The experimental procedure involved the initial physical separation of solar panel components, followed by the leaching of silver metal from the silicon wafer using nitric acid. Subsequently, the selective reduction of silver metal into AgNPs was achieved for the first time using plant extract. To identify a suitable reducing agent, eighteen plants were screened. The leaf extract of <em>Moringa oleifera</em> was found to be the most effective reducing and stabilizing agent for synthesizing AgNPs with silver content up to 70 % as analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Quantitative analysis revealed that the yield of AgNPs from the recovered silver metal was 68 %. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis results detected pure AgNPs uncontaminated with other metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114174"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114117
Tinghao Liu , Qian Kang , Jingjie Li , Wanyu Lu , Dayong Yuan , Linfeng Yang , Shaopeng Chen , Chang Bao Han , Xiaoning Ru , Yongyuan Xu , Minghao Qu , Xixiang Xu , Yongzhe Zhang
The major bottleneck in photovoltaic industry development arises from significant performance degradation of solar cells during dicing and separation processes in the assembly of shingled solar panels. Here, we report a synergistic process combining low-temperature annealing and organic edge passivation. First, Laser cutting was performed when the preparation of the SHJ precursor reached the passivation layer on the p-side, and annealing treatment was performed; After the deposition of MoOx and Ag via evaporation, edge passivation was then conducted via brushing with a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-based passivation solution. For the silicon cells with an area of 16 cm2, the improvement of the interface passivation layer and the chemical passivation of the silicon cell edges have resulted in an increase of 4.38 mV in the open-circuit voltage (Voc), a 1.01 % improvement in fill factor (FF), and an absolute efficiency improvement of 0.46 %. This study demonstrates that low-temperature annealing enhances the surface passivation of the solar cell, while the SDS passivation solution improves the edge passivation, providing a feasible strategy to enhance performance in shingled solar panel technologies.
{"title":"Enhancing electrical performance of separated silicon compound heterojunction solar cells via synergistic annealing and edge passivation solution","authors":"Tinghao Liu , Qian Kang , Jingjie Li , Wanyu Lu , Dayong Yuan , Linfeng Yang , Shaopeng Chen , Chang Bao Han , Xiaoning Ru , Yongyuan Xu , Minghao Qu , Xixiang Xu , Yongzhe Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The major bottleneck in photovoltaic industry development arises from significant performance degradation of solar cells during dicing and separation processes in the assembly of shingled solar panels. Here, we report a synergistic process combining low-temperature annealing and organic edge passivation. First, Laser cutting was performed when the preparation of the SHJ precursor reached the passivation layer on the p-side, and annealing treatment was performed; After the deposition of MoO<sub>x</sub> and Ag via evaporation, edge passivation was then conducted via brushing with a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-based passivation solution. For the silicon cells with an area of 16 cm<sup>2</sup>, the improvement of the interface passivation layer and the chemical passivation of the silicon cell edges have resulted in an increase of 4.38 mV in the open-circuit voltage (<em>V</em><sub>oc</sub>), a 1.01 % improvement in fill factor (<em>FF</em>), and an absolute efficiency improvement of 0.46 %. This study demonstrates that low-temperature annealing enhances the surface passivation of the solar cell, while the SDS passivation solution improves the edge passivation, providing a feasible strategy to enhance performance in shingled solar panel technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114117"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114161
M. Reda Haddouche , Houssem Hachemi , Abdelhadi Haddouche , Müslüm Arıcı
<div><div>Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) is one of the most widely used solar thermal technologies for harnessing solar energy efficiently. Heat transfer enhancement within PTCs is crucial to increase their overall thermal performance and energy conversion efficiency. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on PTC enhancements, highlighting key trends, influential studies, and global contributions in this domain. The analysis identifies significant research clusters, collaborations, and the evolution of heat transfer improvement techniques over the years. Furthermore, this paper presents various passive and active techniques employed to enhance heat transfer in PTCs. Advanced active enhancement techniques for PTCs include integrating PV panels or thermoelectric generators for combined heat and power production, as well as using electromagnetic fields or ultrasonic waves to improve fluid flow and heat transfer. Additionally, forced circulation through pumps or mechanical stirring enhances thermal uniformity. Passive techniques, including inserts (wire coils, twisted tapes, and helical fins) and surface modifications (dimples, corrugations, and metal foams), are widely investigated for increasing turbulence and augmenting heat transfer rates. Additionally, different absorber tube geometries, such as U-shaped tubes, S-curved tubes, and cavity-based designs, have been explored to reduce thermal losses and enhance heat retention. Moreover, researchers have focused on hybrid techniques that combine multiple enhancement methods for superior performance. These include the integration of nanofluids with modified absorber tube geometries or the use of inserts alongside enhanced HTFs. Such combined approaches leverage the benefits of each individual technique to achieve greater efficiency improvements. Although several review papers exist on heat-transfer enhancement in PTCs, none of them provide a quantitative, data-driven overview of how research in this field has evolved. The rapid growth of publications on PTC enhancement techniques makes a structured bibliometric assessment necessary to identify trends, influential works, and global research dynamics. However, existing reviews do not provide a dedicated bibliometric assessment of heat-transfer enhancement methods in PTCs, leaving gaps in identifying research trends and underexplored techniques. The findings of this study provide a structured overview of past and current advancements in PTC heat transfer enhancement, offering valuable insights for future research directions. By analysing bibliometric data and reviewing enhancement techniques, this paper serves as a guideline for optimizing PTC designs to achieve higher thermal efficiency and energy output in solar thermal applications. However, existing reviews do not provide a dedicated bibliometric assessment of heat-transfer enhancement methods in PTCs, leaving gaps in identifying research trends and underexplored tech
{"title":"A bibliometric analysis and recent trends of heat transfer enhancement techniques in parabolic trough collectors","authors":"M. Reda Haddouche , Houssem Hachemi , Abdelhadi Haddouche , Müslüm Arıcı","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114161","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114161","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) is one of the most widely used solar thermal technologies for harnessing solar energy efficiently. Heat transfer enhancement within PTCs is crucial to increase their overall thermal performance and energy conversion efficiency. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on PTC enhancements, highlighting key trends, influential studies, and global contributions in this domain. The analysis identifies significant research clusters, collaborations, and the evolution of heat transfer improvement techniques over the years. Furthermore, this paper presents various passive and active techniques employed to enhance heat transfer in PTCs. Advanced active enhancement techniques for PTCs include integrating PV panels or thermoelectric generators for combined heat and power production, as well as using electromagnetic fields or ultrasonic waves to improve fluid flow and heat transfer. Additionally, forced circulation through pumps or mechanical stirring enhances thermal uniformity. Passive techniques, including inserts (wire coils, twisted tapes, and helical fins) and surface modifications (dimples, corrugations, and metal foams), are widely investigated for increasing turbulence and augmenting heat transfer rates. Additionally, different absorber tube geometries, such as U-shaped tubes, S-curved tubes, and cavity-based designs, have been explored to reduce thermal losses and enhance heat retention. Moreover, researchers have focused on hybrid techniques that combine multiple enhancement methods for superior performance. These include the integration of nanofluids with modified absorber tube geometries or the use of inserts alongside enhanced HTFs. Such combined approaches leverage the benefits of each individual technique to achieve greater efficiency improvements. Although several review papers exist on heat-transfer enhancement in PTCs, none of them provide a quantitative, data-driven overview of how research in this field has evolved. The rapid growth of publications on PTC enhancement techniques makes a structured bibliometric assessment necessary to identify trends, influential works, and global research dynamics. However, existing reviews do not provide a dedicated bibliometric assessment of heat-transfer enhancement methods in PTCs, leaving gaps in identifying research trends and underexplored techniques. The findings of this study provide a structured overview of past and current advancements in PTC heat transfer enhancement, offering valuable insights for future research directions. By analysing bibliometric data and reviewing enhancement techniques, this paper serves as a guideline for optimizing PTC designs to achieve higher thermal efficiency and energy output in solar thermal applications. However, existing reviews do not provide a dedicated bibliometric assessment of heat-transfer enhancement methods in PTCs, leaving gaps in identifying research trends and underexplored tech","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114161"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114121
J. de Damborenea , A. Conde , P. Bernal , F. Ortuño , C. Pinto da Silva , M.A. Arenas
A large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plant is a complex infrastructure composed of PV modules supported by metallic mounting structures, which may include motors for module tracking, inverters, cabling, and control systems. While the degradation of PV panels and the corrosion of structural elements are well-studied, limited research has addressed the specific impact of sand erosion on metallic structures in desert and semi-desert environments.
This study investigates the erosion resistance of three commonly used galvanized coatings in PV mounting systems: continuous galvanized steel (Z275), Zn-Mg-Al alloy (ZM310), and hot-dip galvanized steel (HDG). Additionally, a representative sample of the aluminum-based motion components, protected by an organic coating, was included.
The organic coating was evaluated using ASTM D968-22 and met the AAMA 2604-05 abrasion resistance requirements. Metallic coatings were tested following both ASTM D968-22 and a modified ASTM G76-18 standard adapted to simulate desert conditions. Among the materials tested, the Z275 coating exhibited the lowest erosion rate, outperforming both HDG and ZM310. The findings highlight the importance of considering ductility and mechanical toughness -beyond hardness-when assessing erosion resistance for solar plant structures.
{"title":"Surface erosion damage in mounting structures of large-scale photovoltaic systems","authors":"J. de Damborenea , A. Conde , P. Bernal , F. Ortuño , C. Pinto da Silva , M.A. Arenas","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plant is a complex infrastructure composed of PV modules supported by metallic mounting structures, which may include motors for module tracking, inverters, cabling, and control systems. While the degradation of PV panels and the corrosion of structural elements are well-studied, limited research has addressed the specific impact of sand erosion on metallic structures in desert and semi-desert environments.</div><div>This study investigates the erosion resistance of three commonly used galvanized coatings in PV mounting systems: continuous galvanized steel (Z275), Zn-Mg-Al alloy (ZM310), and hot-dip galvanized steel (HDG). Additionally, a representative sample of the aluminum-based motion components, protected by an organic coating, was included.</div><div>The organic coating was evaluated using ASTM D968-22 and met the AAMA 2604-05 abrasion resistance requirements. Metallic coatings were tested following both ASTM D968-22 and a modified ASTM G76-18 standard adapted to simulate desert conditions. Among the materials tested, the Z275 coating exhibited the lowest erosion rate, outperforming both HDG and ZM310. The findings highlight the importance of considering ductility and mechanical toughness -beyond hardness-when assessing erosion resistance for solar plant structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114121"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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