Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells最新文献_第5页

Innovative refractory concrete for high temperature thermal energy storage

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113506

J. Ramon Castro , Carolina Santini , Gabriel Zsembinszki , Saranprabhu Mani Kala , Franklin R. Martinez , Sara Risco , Claudia Fabiani , Anna Laura Pisello , Luisa F. Cabeza

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems play an important role in the management of thermal energy and associated consumption. Furthermore, using TES, combustion of fossil fuels and their associated environmental impacts are avoided. In particular, demand for high temperature energy storage is increasing and research focuses on the development of suitable materials for these applications. A limited number of studies focus on the use of sensible heat storage systems that exploit concrete as a TES under high temperature conditions for concentrating solar power (CSP) plant systems. The main drawback to overcome in concrete TES is the degradation of the concrete after charging and discharging thermal cycles. This study aims to develop a novel concrete formulation designed for high-temperature applications and capable of withstanding thermal cycling. To achieve this, a refractory concrete was conceptualized using calcium aluminate cement (CAC) and refractory aggregates, specifically basalt and chamotte. The formulation also incorporates a heat treatment applied after the cu[[ring period to enhance its performance under extreme thermal conditions. This heat treatment is what allows to transform a CAC concrete, that unites the dispersed material through hydraulic nodes, into a refractory concrete, that unites the dispersed material through its ceramisation. The new concrete formulation was analysed to evaluate its performance before and after 25 thermal cycles. Results show that thermal conductivity and compressive strength after ceramisation have values around 1.7 W/m·K and 52 MPa, respectively. It was also observed that the initial thermal treatment was not necessary, because the ceramisation of the concrete can also be achieved during the thermal cycling process if the correct heating and cooling rates are used. The developed new concrete formulation containing refractory aggregates demonstrated excellent thermo-physical and mechanical properties that make it suitable for high-temperature TES applications (temperatures up to 700 °C).

{"title":"Innovative refractory concrete for high temperature thermal energy storage","authors":"J. Ramon Castro , Carolina Santini , Gabriel Zsembinszki , Saranprabhu Mani Kala , Franklin R. Martinez , Sara Risco , Claudia Fabiani , Anna Laura Pisello , Luisa F. Cabeza","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermal energy storage (TES) systems play an important role in the management of thermal energy and associated consumption. Furthermore, using TES, combustion of fossil fuels and their associated environmental impacts are avoided. In particular, demand for high temperature energy storage is increasing and research focuses on the development of suitable materials for these applications. A limited number of studies focus on the use of sensible heat storage systems that exploit concrete as a TES under high temperature conditions for concentrating solar power (CSP) plant systems. The main drawback to overcome in concrete TES is the degradation of the concrete after charging and discharging thermal cycles. This study aims to develop a novel concrete formulation designed for high-temperature applications and capable of withstanding thermal cycling. To achieve this, a refractory concrete was conceptualized using calcium aluminate cement (CAC) and refractory aggregates, specifically basalt and chamotte. The formulation also incorporates a heat treatment applied after the cu[[ring period to enhance its performance under extreme thermal conditions. This heat treatment is what allows to transform a CAC concrete, that unites the dispersed material through hydraulic nodes, into a refractory concrete, that unites the dispersed material through its ceramisation. The new concrete formulation was analysed to evaluate its performance before and after 25 thermal cycles. Results show that thermal conductivity and compressive strength after ceramisation have values around 1.7 W/m·K and 52 MPa, respectively. It was also observed that the initial thermal treatment was not necessary, because the ceramisation of the concrete can also be achieved during the thermal cycling process if the correct heating and cooling rates are used. The developed new concrete formulation containing refractory aggregates demonstrated excellent thermo-physical and mechanical properties that make it suitable for high-temperature TES applications (temperatures up to 700 °C).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113506"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421809","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}

引用次数: 0

Optimization of NiOₓ thin film properties and its impact on the performance of bifacial Sb₂Se₃ solar cells

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113511

Ching-Chuan Cheng, Yi-Cheng Lin

NiOₓ thin films show promise in Sb₂Se₃ thin film solar cells, though the optimal oxygen stoichiometry (x) remains undetermined. While most solar cells use single-sided illumination. This study demonstrates a high-performance bifacial Sb₂Se₃ solar cell with a superstrate configuration (FTO/NiOₓ/Sb₂Se₃/CdS/i-ZnO/ITO/Al), utilizing NiOₓ hole transport layer (HTL) deposited via reactive sputtering. The device's performance under single and bifacial illumination conditions was systematically investigated, along with oxygen/argon flow ratio (OAFR) optimization. At OAFR = 10 %, NiOₓ exhibited optimal stoichiometry (x = 1.04), complete columnar crystallization, and balanced Ni³⁺/Ni²⁺ ratio, resulting in high visible transmittance (81 %) and a bandgap of 3.78 eV. Under FTO-side single illumination, the device achieved an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.36 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 23.16 mA/cm², fill factor (FF) of 54.46 %, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.86 %. The bifacial configuration demonstrated enhanced performance primarily through additional light harvesting from both front and rear illumination. The optimized NiOₓ HTL further supported this enhancement through efficient hole extraction and reduced interface recombination. These synergistic effects improved device performance with Jsc increasing to 29.93 mA/cm², Voc reaching 0.414 V, and achieving a PCE of 6.72 %. The device achieves a bifaciality factor of 0.90, showing balanced performance. With an albedo factor of 0.2, the bifacial efficiency gain reaches 18 %.

{"title":"Optimization of NiOₓ thin film properties and its impact on the performance of bifacial Sb₂Se₃ solar cells","authors":"Ching-Chuan Cheng, Yi-Cheng Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113511","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113511","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>NiOₓ thin films show promise in Sb₂Se₃ thin film solar cells, though the optimal oxygen stoichiometry (x) remains undetermined. While most solar cells use single-sided illumination. This study demonstrates a high-performance bifacial Sb₂Se₃ solar cell with a superstrate configuration (FTO/NiOₓ/Sb₂Se₃/CdS/i-ZnO/ITO/Al), utilizing NiOₓ hole transport layer (HTL) deposited via reactive sputtering. The device's performance under single and bifacial illumination conditions was systematically investigated, along with oxygen/argon flow ratio (OAFR) optimization. At OAFR = 10 %, NiOₓ exhibited optimal stoichiometry (x = 1.04), complete columnar crystallization, and balanced Ni³⁺/Ni<sup>2</sup>⁺ ratio, resulting in high visible transmittance (81 %) and a bandgap of 3.78 eV. Under FTO-side single illumination, the device achieved an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.36 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 23.16 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, fill factor (FF) of 54.46 %, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.86 %. The bifacial configuration demonstrated enhanced performance primarily through additional light harvesting from both front and rear illumination. The optimized NiOₓ HTL further supported this enhancement through efficient hole extraction and reduced interface recombination. These synergistic effects improved device performance with Jsc increasing to 29.93 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, Voc reaching 0.414 V, and achieving a PCE of 6.72 %. The device achieves a bifaciality factor of 0.90, showing balanced performance. With an albedo factor of 0.2, the bifacial efficiency gain reaches 18 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113511"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421796","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}

引用次数: 0

Enhanced catalytic performance of MoO3/MoS2-rGO counter electrode towards a Pt-free dye sensitized solar cell

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113496

Vibavakumar Sivakumar , Nisha Dharmajan , Archana Jayaram , Navaneethan Mani , Harish Santhana Krishnan

The redox process at the electrolyte/counter electrode (CE) interface is a crucial step in achieving efficient charge flow cycles in DSSCs. The work focuses on enhancing the charge kinetics between the electrolyte, and MoO₃ CE using MoS₂-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites. Different weight percentages of rGO (5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt%) are composited with MoS₂. The MoO₃ surface is modified by screen-printing MoS₂, and MoS₂-rGO on it. The dense network of MoS₂, and rGO at the optimized concentration furnishes Pt-like electrocatalytic activity to MoO₃. The 10 wt% of rGO in MoS₂ (M/MSG10) imparts favourable properties to MoO₃ CE by lowering the charge transfer resistance by 2.6-fold and enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. The limiting, and exchange current densities increase by 2.2, and 2.9 times, respectively, compared to MoO₃. M/MSG10 CE exhibits a maximum power conversion efficiency of 5.0 %, which is 2.9 times higher than MoO₃. This champion device outperforms the conventional Pt CE by recording an efficiency 1.1-fold higher. This study identifies Pt-free CE, specifically MoO₃/MoS₂-rGO, as a potential candidate to reduce the cost of DSSCs, and promote commercialization.

{"title":"Enhanced catalytic performance of MoO3/MoS2-rGO counter electrode towards a Pt-free dye sensitized solar cell","authors":"Vibavakumar Sivakumar , Nisha Dharmajan , Archana Jayaram , Navaneethan Mani , Harish Santhana Krishnan","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The redox process at the electrolyte/counter electrode (CE) interface is a crucial step in achieving efficient charge flow cycles in DSSCs. The work focuses on enhancing the charge kinetics between the electrolyte, and MoO<sub>3</sub> CE using MoS<sub>2</sub>-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites. Different weight percentages of rGO (5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt%) are composited with MoS<sub>2</sub>. The MoO<sub>3</sub> surface is modified by screen-printing MoS<sub>2</sub>, and MoS<sub>2</sub>-rGO on it. The dense network of MoS<sub>2</sub>, and rGO at the optimized concentration furnishes Pt-like electrocatalytic activity to MoO<sub>3</sub>. The 10 wt% of rGO in MoS<sub>2</sub> (M/MSG10) imparts favourable properties to MoO<sub>3</sub> CE by lowering the charge transfer resistance by 2.6-fold and enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. The limiting, and exchange current densities increase by 2.2, and 2.9 times, respectively, compared to MoO<sub>3</sub>. M/MSG10 CE exhibits a maximum power conversion efficiency of 5.0 %, which is 2.9 times higher than MoO<sub>3</sub>. This champion device outperforms the conventional Pt CE by recording an efficiency 1.1-fold higher. This study identifies Pt-free CE, specifically MoO<sub>3</sub>/MoS<sub>2</sub>-rGO, as a potential candidate to reduce the cost of DSSCs, and promote commercialization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113496"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421795","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}

引用次数: 0

Solid-state selenium diffusion processing to prepare Sb2(S,Se)3 film for planar heterojunction solar cells

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113495

Wangwei Chen , Guoliang Gao , Litao Zhao , Conghui Liu , Juanjuan Qi , Guang Zhu

Excellent optoelectronic properties make antimony selenosulfide an appealing light absorbering material in the solar cell research. Herein, we present a novel solid-state selenium diffusion (SSD) method featuring the reaction of solid-state selenium with precursor film to prepare Sb₂(S,Se)₃ film for efficient solar cells. The effects of reaction temperature and selenium layer thickness on the structure, composition and morphology of deposited film were investigated. Appropriate selenization can eliminate structural defects, while excessive selenization can lead to porous uncompact, loose morphology. Moreover, the band-gap, photo response and carrier transport characteristics which are highly correlated with device performance dependent on the S/Se ratio of antimony selenosulfide Sb₂(S,Se)₃ can be adjusted by SSD process (selenium layer thickness and reaction temperature). The optimized Sb₂(S,Se)₃ solar cell exhibited an efficiency of 6.37 % with a high J_sc of 19.17 mA/cm² and FF of 55.53 % under AM 1.5 illumination.

{"title":"Solid-state selenium diffusion processing to prepare Sb2(S,Se)3 film for planar heterojunction solar cells","authors":"Wangwei Chen , Guoliang Gao , Litao Zhao , Conghui Liu , Juanjuan Qi , Guang Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excellent optoelectronic properties make antimony selenosulfide an appealing light absorbering material in the solar cell research. Herein, we present a novel solid-state selenium diffusion (SSD) method featuring the reaction of solid-state selenium with precursor film to prepare Sb<sub>2</sub>(S,Se)<sub>3</sub> film for efficient solar cells. The effects of reaction temperature and selenium layer thickness on the structure, composition and morphology of deposited film were investigated. Appropriate selenization can eliminate structural defects, while excessive selenization can lead to porous uncompact, loose morphology. Moreover, the band-gap, photo response and carrier transport characteristics which are highly correlated with device performance dependent on the S/Se ratio of antimony selenosulfide Sb<sub>2</sub>(S,Se)<sub>3</sub> can be adjusted by SSD process (selenium layer thickness and reaction temperature). The optimized Sb<sub>2</sub>(S,Se)<sub>3</sub> solar cell exhibited an efficiency of 6.37 % with a high <em>J</em><sub>sc</sub> of 19.17 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> and FF of 55.53 % under AM 1.5 illumination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113495"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421932","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}

引用次数: 0

Evaluation of parameters to characterize the aging of solar reflector materials

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113493

Johannes Wette , Florian Sutter , Ricardo Sánchez-Moreno , Florian Wiesinger , Aránzazu Fernández-García

The evaluation of the degradation of solar reflectors for concentrating solar thermal applications is of primary importance for material development and to guarantee the optimal optical quality of the solar field over an extended life time. Standardization of durability tests and their evaluation is very limited nowadays and an important ongoing task contributing to the reliability and feasibility of the technology. In this work, a series of long duration accelerated aging tests were used to test a set of different reflector materials, from commercial to experimental and low-cost materials, and by taking the durations to extreme levels never before conducted, assuring the appearance of considerable degradation. The most common degradation parameters were determined and a thorough evaluation of the tests, the parameters and their determination techniques was performed. The copper-accelerated acetic acid salt spray test was confirmed to be the quickest test to provoke degradation in most materials and this way offers the possibility to compare different candidates. Other tests provoke little degradation for most materials even after long durations. The development of corrosion spots is the first parameter to show differences for the materials. The specular reflectance is more sensitive to show degradation than the hemispherical reflecance. An overview table was created which allows to determine minimum test durations to select, depending on the parameter and test to be evaluated. This serves as an important tool for the planning of future tests and may help with the further standardization of testing and evaluation of the durability of solar reflectors.

{"title":"Evaluation of parameters to characterize the aging of solar reflector materials","authors":"Johannes Wette , Florian Sutter , Ricardo Sánchez-Moreno , Florian Wiesinger , Aránzazu Fernández-García","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evaluation of the degradation of solar reflectors for concentrating solar thermal applications is of primary importance for material development and to guarantee the optimal optical quality of the solar field over an extended life time. Standardization of durability tests and their evaluation is very limited nowadays and an important ongoing task contributing to the reliability and feasibility of the technology. In this work, a series of long duration accelerated aging tests were used to test a set of different reflector materials, from commercial to experimental and low-cost materials, and by taking the durations to extreme levels never before conducted, assuring the appearance of considerable degradation. The most common degradation parameters were determined and a thorough evaluation of the tests, the parameters and their determination techniques was performed. The copper-accelerated acetic acid salt spray test was confirmed to be the quickest test to provoke degradation in most materials and this way offers the possibility to compare different candidates. Other tests provoke little degradation for most materials even after long durations. The development of corrosion spots is the first parameter to show differences for the materials. The specular reflectance is more sensitive to show degradation than the hemispherical reflecance. An overview table was created which allows to determine minimum test durations to select, depending on the parameter and test to be evaluated. This serves as an important tool for the planning of future tests and may help with the further standardization of testing and evaluation of the durability of solar reflectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113493"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Hierarchically designed radiative cooling glass with enhanced thermal emittance by moisture capillary condensation

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-13 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113486

Xiaopeng Liu , Guang Yang , Wei Wang , Wencai Zhou , Chuanshen Wang , Min Guan

Transparent radiative cooling (T-RC) using photonic structures is limited by its high processing cost of inorganics and poor weather resistance of polymer in existing applications. Here, we develop a hierarchically designed T-RC glass that can promote nearly 8.5 % conversion efficiency in relative terms of solar cells at the nominal operating temperature. A micro-nano structure comprising micro-scale etched pits and nano-scale etched pores on the surface obviously improves the emissivity (∼0.97) in atmospheric window (8–13 μm) and the transmittance (∼97 %) in solar spectrum of the glass. Both the realistic measurements and multi-physics simulations demonstrate that when capillary condensation water is generated in nanopores, the emissivity of T-RC glass will further increase. Compared to the common glass, this glass exhibits exceptional heat dissipation with a temperature drop of 1.1 °C in indoor heating measurement and a temperature drop of 2.4 °C on average, with its peak at 3.3 °C in field measurement. This invention makes it possible to fabricate T-RC materials on a large scale, especially in the form of glass for semiconductor device heat dissipation, building and automobile energy-saving windows.

{"title":"Hierarchically designed radiative cooling glass with enhanced thermal emittance by moisture capillary condensation","authors":"Xiaopeng Liu , Guang Yang , Wei Wang , Wencai Zhou , Chuanshen Wang , Min Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113486","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113486","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transparent radiative cooling (T-RC) using photonic structures is limited by its high processing cost of inorganics and poor weather resistance of polymer in existing applications. Here, we develop a hierarchically designed T-RC glass that can promote nearly 8.5 % conversion efficiency in relative terms of solar cells at the nominal operating temperature. A micro-nano structure comprising micro-scale etched pits and nano-scale etched pores on the surface obviously improves the emissivity (∼0.97) in atmospheric window (8–13 μm) and the transmittance (∼97 %) in solar spectrum of the glass. Both the realistic measurements and multi-physics simulations demonstrate that when capillary condensation water is generated in nanopores, the emissivity of T-RC glass will further increase. Compared to the common glass, this glass exhibits exceptional heat dissipation with a temperature drop of 1.1 °C in indoor heating measurement and a temperature drop of 2.4 °C on average, with its peak at 3.3 °C in field measurement. This invention makes it possible to fabricate T-RC materials on a large scale, especially in the form of glass for semiconductor device heat dissipation, building and automobile energy-saving windows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113486"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395133","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}

引用次数: 0

A comprehensive updated research progress of key technologies of linear concentrated solar power from material to application

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-13 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113492

Xinyu Wang , Chao Zhang , Cancan Zhang , Hexin Sun , Yuting Wu

Solar energy is an important renewable energy and will play a significant role in future global electricity production. A comprehensively review overview of linear concentrated solar power is studied which is a unique technique that includes parabolic trough collector and linear Fresnel reflector. Some crucial aspects have been summarized and prospected on concentrating system, heat collecting system and heat storage system. Research on concentrating system includes the mirror field of parabolic trough collector, primary mirror field and secondary concentrators of linear Fresnel reflector. Research on heat collecting system includes inner collector coating, heat transfer fluid and enhanced heat transfer technology. Research on heat storage system includes heat storage molten salt and storage tank. Lastly, the potential research directions and future research hotspots of these technologies are prospected. The mirror field structure should be optimized the distribution of surface energy flux density on the collector tube in parabolic trough collector, while in linear Fresnel reflector improve the optical efficiency. Molten salt is one of the best heat transfer fluid for high temperature power generation in the concentrated solar power system. Inserts, fins and shaped tubes are used to enhance heat transfer for collector. Developing molten salt with a wider working temperature range and more stable physical and chemical properties is a hot research direction.

{"title":"A comprehensive updated research progress of key technologies of linear concentrated solar power from material to application","authors":"Xinyu Wang , Chao Zhang , Cancan Zhang , Hexin Sun , Yuting Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar energy is an important renewable energy and will play a significant role in future global electricity production. A comprehensively review overview of linear concentrated solar power is studied which is a unique technique that includes parabolic trough collector and linear Fresnel reflector. Some crucial aspects have been summarized and prospected on concentrating system, heat collecting system and heat storage system. Research on concentrating system includes the mirror field of parabolic trough collector, primary mirror field and secondary concentrators of linear Fresnel reflector. Research on heat collecting system includes inner collector coating, heat transfer fluid and enhanced heat transfer technology. Research on heat storage system includes heat storage molten salt and storage tank. Lastly, the potential research directions and future research hotspots of these technologies are prospected. The mirror field structure should be optimized the distribution of surface energy flux density on the collector tube in parabolic trough collector, while in linear Fresnel reflector improve the optical efficiency. Molten salt is one of the best heat transfer fluid for high temperature power generation in the concentrated solar power system. Inserts, fins and shaped tubes are used to enhance heat transfer for collector. Developing molten salt with a wider working temperature range and more stable physical and chemical properties is a hot research direction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 113492"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395134","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}

引用次数: 0

Using binary-eutectic phase change materials and ZnO/aluminum nitride nanofillers to improve photovoltaic efficiency

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113490

Neda Azimi , Esmail Sharifzadeh

This study examines the effectiveness of binary-eutectic phase change materials (BE-PCMs) for controlling the surface heat of PV panels. Comprising petroleum jelly, beeswax, and ZnO/aluminum nitride (AlN) nanoparticles, five PCMs are synthesized—PCM#a through PCM#e—with beeswax to petroleum jelly volume ratios of 5 %/95 %, 10 %/90 %, 15 %/85 %, 20 %/80 %, and 25 %/75 %. The primary objective is to enhance temperature regulation and electric efficiency of PV panel by BE-PCMs, which its performance optimized using Response Surface Methodology. The effects of beeswax volume fraction in petroleum jelly (x₁ = 5–25 %), weight ratio of ZnO to AlN (x₂ = 0.2–1), and ZnO/AlN nanoparticle weight fraction (x₃ = 0–10%wt) are evaluated. Results indicated that BE-PCMs lowered the PV panel's maximum temperature from 61.84 °C to 47.65 °C, compared to a reduction to 53.97 °C with BE-PCM alone. The optimal volume fractions of beeswax and petroleum jelly were found to be 13.86 % and 86.14 %, respectively; when beeswax exceeded 13.86 %, PV temperature increased. Furthermore, x₃ values of 8–10 % yielded the lowest temperature and highest electrical efficiency. Specifically, BE-PCMs with x₃ = 8.77%wt and x₂ = 0.574 achieved a peak electrical efficiency of 12.98 % and a power output of 7.79 W.

{"title":"Using binary-eutectic phase change materials and ZnO/aluminum nitride nanofillers to improve photovoltaic efficiency","authors":"Neda Azimi , Esmail Sharifzadeh","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the effectiveness of binary-eutectic phase change materials (BE-PCMs) for controlling the surface heat of PV panels. Comprising petroleum jelly, beeswax, and ZnO/aluminum nitride (AlN) nanoparticles, five PCMs are synthesized—PCM#a through PCM#e—with beeswax to petroleum jelly volume ratios of 5 %/95 %, 10 %/90 %, 15 %/85 %, 20 %/80 %, and 25 %/75 %. The primary objective is to enhance temperature regulation and electric efficiency of PV panel by BE-PCMs, which its performance optimized using Response Surface Methodology. The effects of beeswax volume fraction in petroleum jelly (x<sub>1</sub> = 5–25 %), weight ratio of ZnO to AlN (x<sub>2</sub> = 0.2–1), and ZnO/AlN nanoparticle weight fraction (x<sub>3</sub> = 0–10%wt) are evaluated. Results indicated that BE-PCMs lowered the PV panel's maximum temperature from 61.84 °C to 47.65 °C, compared to a reduction to 53.97 °C with BE-PCM alone. The optimal volume fractions of beeswax and petroleum jelly were found to be 13.86 % and 86.14 %, respectively; when beeswax exceeded 13.86 %, PV temperature increased. Furthermore, x<sub>3</sub> values of 8–10 % yielded the lowest temperature and highest electrical efficiency. Specifically, BE-PCMs with x<sub>3</sub> = 8.77%wt and x<sub>2</sub> = 0.574 achieved a peak electrical efficiency of 12.98 % and a power output of 7.79 W.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"284 ","pages":"Article 113490"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395109","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}

引用次数: 0

Thermal integration of direct-indirect thermochemical reactors and charging-discharging thermal management strategies for solar thermal storage systems

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113485

Huijin Xu , Hangfei Xu , Guojun Yu , Xiaofeng Xu , Fuqiang Wang

The integration of solar thermal energy into energy systems necessitates efficient thermal storage technologies. This study focuses on the development of a combined direct-indirect thermochemical reactor using the Ca(OH)₂/CaO system, aimed at enhancing heat transfer and optimizing the thermal charging/discharging processes. A multi-physics model incorporating fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, and chemical reaction was established to analyze the dehydration and hydration reactions under varying conditions. The systematic investigation of the effects of key parameters, including porosity and thermal conductivity, on reaction efficiency was conducted. Specifically, increasing the thermal conductivity from 2 W/m·K to 4 W/m·K reduced the reaction time by 40 min. Additionally, enhancing the porosity from 0.6 to 0.8 led to a reduction in reaction time by 30 min. Furthermore, the utilization of metal foams and heat sinks to augment heat transfer significantly improved reactor performance. The implementation of metal foam decreased the reaction time from 100 min to 60 min (a 40 % improvement), while the addition of fins resulted in approximately a 50 % increase in efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of material properties and reactor design in enhancing the performance of thermochemical energy storage systems, offering valuable insights for future applications in solar thermal energy utilization.

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引用次数: 0

Scale effect on thermal properties and phase transition characteristics of the ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl mixed chloride salt

IF 6.3 2区材料科学 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

Pub Date : 2025-02-12 DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113494

Haitao Zhang , Hailong Kang , Shuang Ma , Qirong Yang , Youping Li , Chenxuan Yan , Xinsong Wang , Yong Dong

Composite chloride salts have become molten salt heat storage materials with high development potential due to their excellent heat storage performance. Since chloride salts are prone to leakage, they need to be adsorbed onto porous materials to prepare composite phase change materials (CPCMs). Changes in the pore size of porous materials will lead to changes in the scale of chloride salts. Currently, there is little research on the impact of scale variation on the thermophysical and phase change characteristics of composite chloride salts, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. With the ZnCl₂-NaCl-KCl (3:1:1 mol%) eutectic salt as the phase change material (PCM), this study integrates molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with an experimental approach to investigate the impact of scale on the thermophysical properties and phase change properties of CPCM. The inherent influence mechanism of scale effect is analyzed from a microscopic perspective. The results indicate that as the scale increases, the interaction energy between molecules within the system gradually increases, and the system structure becomes more compact. The thermal conductivity first increases and then decreases, reaching a maximum of 0.45 W/(m·K) at 8 nm; the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient gradually decreases. As the scale increases from 3 nm to 15 nm, the melting temperature rises by 8.1 %, while the solidification temperature decreases by 1.73 %, resulting in a significant increase in the degree of supercooling. The latent heat gradually increases with scale, which is consistent with the coordination number.

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引用次数: 0