Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub 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":"2026-05-01","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 : 2026-05-01Epub 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":"2026-05-01","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 : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114159
Gexun Qin , Yanmei Sun , Xuelin Sun
With the increasing demand for advanced optoelectronic memory and neuromorphic computing technologies, developing synaptic transistors capable of non-volatile optical storage and electrical modulation is crucial. In this study, we fabricate a SnO2-based synaptic transistor with a bottom-gate top-contact structure, where SnO2 serves as the primary conductive channel material. The device demonstrates bipolar transfer behavior with a high current switching ratio (1.05 × 105) and long-term stability (>8000 s). Under UV illumination (365 nm), the transistor exhibits a photogating effect, leading to persistent conductivity modulation due to trapped electrons forming localized electric fields. Additionally, the device shows synaptic functionalities, including excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and transition from short-term plasticity (STP) to long-term plasticity (LTP) under optical pulses. Electrical pulse stimulation further enables tunable synaptic weight modulation, exhibiting pulse amplitude- and width-dependent plasticity. Notably, the device achieves non-volatile optical memory operation, where UV light pulses induce stable conductance states, and gate voltage pulses enable reversible erasure. However, performance degrades at elevated temperatures (>35 °C), limiting high-temperature applications. These findings highlight the potential of SnO2-based synaptic transistors for optoelectronic memory and neuromorphic computing systems.
{"title":"Photogating and electrical pulse erasure in SnO2-based synaptic transistors for non-volatile optical memory applications","authors":"Gexun Qin , Yanmei Sun , Xuelin Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114159","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114159","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increasing demand for advanced optoelectronic memory and neuromorphic computing technologies, developing synaptic transistors capable of non-volatile optical storage and electrical modulation is crucial. In this study, we fabricate a SnO<sub>2</sub>-based synaptic transistor with a bottom-gate top-contact structure, where SnO<sub>2</sub> serves as the primary conductive channel material. The device demonstrates bipolar transfer behavior with a high current switching ratio (1.05 × 10<sup>5</sup>) and long-term stability (>8000 s). Under UV illumination (365 nm), the transistor exhibits a photogating effect, leading to persistent conductivity modulation due to trapped electrons forming localized electric fields. Additionally, the device shows synaptic functionalities, including excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and transition from short-term plasticity (STP) to long-term plasticity (LTP) under optical pulses. Electrical pulse stimulation further enables tunable synaptic weight modulation, exhibiting pulse amplitude- and width-dependent plasticity. Notably, the device achieves non-volatile optical memory operation, where UV light pulses induce stable conductance states, and gate voltage pulses enable reversible erasure. However, performance degrades at elevated temperatures (>35 °C), limiting high-temperature applications. These findings highlight the potential of SnO<sub>2</sub>-based synaptic transistors for optoelectronic memory and neuromorphic computing systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114159"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882767","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 : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114151
Lung-Hsin Tu , Jun-Nan Liu , Yung-Ling Chang , Thung-Yu Tsai , Ngoc Thanh Thuy Tran , Rong-Zhi Chen , Tzu-Ying Lin , Shih-kang Lin , Chih-Huang Lai
This study explores the incorporation of alkali metals into Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin films using CuGa:KF and CuGa:CsF sputtering targets, demonstrating their compatibility and scalability with industrial sequential processes without requiring any additional post-deposition treatment. The introduction of alkali metals through CuGa:KF and CuGa:CsF precursors significantly influences the compositional gradient, ordered vacancy compound (OVC) distribution, and cell performance. Ab initio calculations reveal a link between steeper Ga gradients and OVC formation. Co-doping with Cs and K, using a stacked precursor layer of sputtering CuGa:KF/CuGa:CsF targets, further optimizes the Ga gradient and reduces OVC formation at the backside of CIGSe. These effects collectively enhance cell performance, achieving an efficiency exceeding 17 %, even with low-reactivity Se vapor during selenization. This approach offers a new direction for simplifying heavy alkali metal incorporation and eliminates the need for post-deposition treatments. Importantly, it is fully compatible with existing industrial fabrication processes and provides a scalable pathway for high-efficiency selenized CIGSe production.
{"title":"Scalable cesium/potassium incorporation via CuGa:CsF/KF precursors enables high-efficiency selenized CIGSe solar cells","authors":"Lung-Hsin Tu , Jun-Nan Liu , Yung-Ling Chang , Thung-Yu Tsai , Ngoc Thanh Thuy Tran , Rong-Zhi Chen , Tzu-Ying Lin , Shih-kang Lin , Chih-Huang Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114151","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114151","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the incorporation of alkali metals into Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> (CIGSe) thin films using CuGa:KF and CuGa:CsF sputtering targets, demonstrating their compatibility and scalability with industrial sequential processes without requiring any additional post-deposition treatment. The introduction of alkali metals through CuGa:KF and CuGa:CsF precursors significantly influences the compositional gradient, ordered vacancy compound (OVC) distribution, and cell performance. Ab initio calculations reveal a link between steeper Ga gradients and OVC formation. Co-doping with Cs and K, using a stacked precursor layer of sputtering CuGa:KF/CuGa:CsF targets, further optimizes the Ga gradient and reduces OVC formation at the backside of CIGSe. These effects collectively enhance cell performance, achieving an efficiency exceeding 17 %, even with low-reactivity Se vapor during selenization. This approach offers a new direction for simplifying heavy alkali metal incorporation and eliminates the need for post-deposition treatments. Importantly, it is fully compatible with existing industrial fabrication processes and provides a scalable pathway for high-efficiency selenized CIGSe production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114151"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882713","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}
The need for sustainability and equitable use of resources is ever increasing because of global climate challenges and consequently, there have been increased efforts in the use of renewable energy sources like solar energy. The recycling of silicon kerf (sawdust), a waste material from the manufacture of solar wafers, is an important step in sustainability and circularity within the photovoltaic (PV) industry. The presence of carbon impurities in kerf presents challenges in the performance of the refined product in PV applications and thus it is important that it is reduced to acceptable levels. In this study a thermal oxidative decarburization of silicon kerf was conducted between 400 °C and 700 °C. Reaction mechanisms for the decarburization and simultaneous partial oxidation of silicon kerf particles were proposed based on the obtained results and effective decarburization of more than 90 % was achieved. Froth flotation was also conducted as an alternative low temperature route and under the conditions used was found not to be effective for decarburization of silicon kerf from diamond wire sawing due to limited selectivity at the very fine particle sizes of silicon kerf. The moderate temperature oxidative decarburization was therefore found to be effective for removal of carbon impurities.
{"title":"A comparative study on decarburization of silicon kerf through high temperature oxidation and froth flotation techniques","authors":"Tinotenda Mubaiwa , Chiedza Thelma Nzuma , Pshem Kowalczuk , Jafar Safarian","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The need for sustainability and equitable use of resources is ever increasing because of global climate challenges and consequently, there have been increased efforts in the use of renewable energy sources like solar energy. The recycling of silicon kerf (sawdust), a waste material from the manufacture of solar wafers, is an important step in sustainability and circularity within the photovoltaic (PV) industry. The presence of carbon impurities in kerf presents challenges in the performance of the refined product in PV applications and thus it is important that it is reduced to acceptable levels. In this study a thermal oxidative decarburization of silicon kerf was conducted between 400 °C and 700 °C. Reaction mechanisms for the decarburization and simultaneous partial oxidation of silicon kerf particles were proposed based on the obtained results and effective decarburization of more than 90 % was achieved. Froth flotation was also conducted as an alternative low temperature route and under the conditions used was found not to be effective for decarburization of silicon kerf from diamond wire sawing due to limited selectivity at the very fine particle sizes of silicon kerf. The moderate temperature oxidative decarburization was therefore found to be effective for removal of carbon impurities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114171"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973408","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}
High-thermal-conductivity phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for efficient solar thermal energy storage but often suffer from complex fabrication and high cost. Here, a cost-effective composite PCM with high latent heat and superior thermal conductivity was developed. A eutectic mixture of oxalic acid dihydrate and glutaric acid (OAD-GA, 30:70 mass ratio) was combined with 20 wt% expanded graphite (EG), yielding a PCM with a phase transition temperature of 67.9 °C and a latent heat of 197.7 kJ/kg. Incorporating layered graphite sheets (GS) enables the construction of directional thermal pathways, producing an OAD-GA/EG-GS0.6 composite with ultrahigh thermal conductivity (28.14 W/(m·K)) and outstanding reliability, showing only a 1.9% loss in latent heat after 500 cycles. The composite also achieved a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 91.1%, demonstrating strong potential for solar thermal storage and thermal management applications.
{"title":"Directionally structured oxalic acid dihydrate-glutaric acid/expanded graphite-graphite sheet composites with ultrahigh thermal conductivity for solar thermal storage","authors":"Sili Zhou , Junyi Niu , Wenbo Zhang , Shao Lin , Xiaoming Fang , Ziye Ling","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2026.114167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-thermal-conductivity phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for efficient solar thermal energy storage but often suffer from complex fabrication and high cost. Here, a cost-effective composite PCM with high latent heat and superior thermal conductivity was developed. A eutectic mixture of oxalic acid dihydrate and glutaric acid (OAD-GA, 30:70 mass ratio) was combined with 20 wt% expanded graphite (EG), yielding a PCM with a phase transition temperature of 67.9 °C and a latent heat of 197.7 kJ/kg. Incorporating layered graphite sheets (GS) enables the construction of directional thermal pathways, producing an OAD-GA/EG-GS<sub>0.6</sub> composite with ultrahigh thermal conductivity (28.14 W/(m·K)) and outstanding reliability, showing only a 1.9% loss in latent heat after 500 cycles. The composite also achieved a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 91.1%, demonstrating strong potential for solar thermal storage and thermal management applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114167"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939995","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 : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114158
Guangyu Zhu , Jue Wang , Wenxing Luo , Wenjing Chen , Yan Ma , Xiongxin Jiang , Qinglin Li , Xiaowu Hu
Phase change materials (PCMs) exhibit great potential for thermal energy storage; however, their practical applications are often hindered by leakage, intrinsic brittleness, and inefficient photothermal conversion. Herein, we present a simple and effective strategy for fabricating flexible phase change materials (NXPCMs) with intrinsic shape stability and photothermal conversion capability. The NXPCMs feature a typical linear polymer architecture with an internal physically crosslinked network. Synergistic covalent bonding, hydrogen bonding, and π–π stacking interactions endow the NXPCMs with outstanding leakage resistance, excellent mechanical performance (tensile strength of 15.83 MPa and elongation at break of 949.8 %), and high flexibility. Owing to the tunable polyethylene glycol (PEG) segments, the phase-change temperatures (40.1–50.9 °C) and latent heat values (93.89–131.3 J/g) can be effectively tailored within a desirable range. Notably, the limitations associated with conventional physical incorporation of photothermal fillers are overcome by embedding 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) directly into the polymer backbone, enabling simultaneous enhancement of photothermal conversion efficiency and mechanical integrity. As a result, the NXPCMs demonstrate excellent suitability for personal wearable thermal management. This work offers a promising strategy for the development of intrinsically photothermal PCMs for flexible wearable thermal management applications.
{"title":"Solid-solid phase change films with intrinsic flexibility and photo-thermal conversion capabilities for human thermal management","authors":"Guangyu Zhu , Jue Wang , Wenxing Luo , Wenjing Chen , Yan Ma , Xiongxin Jiang , Qinglin Li , Xiaowu Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114158","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114158","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phase change materials (PCMs) exhibit great potential for thermal energy storage; however, their practical applications are often hindered by leakage, intrinsic brittleness, and inefficient photothermal conversion. Herein, we present a simple and effective strategy for fabricating flexible phase change materials (NXPCMs) with intrinsic shape stability and photothermal conversion capability. The NXPCMs feature a typical linear polymer architecture with an internal physically crosslinked network. Synergistic covalent bonding, hydrogen bonding, and π–π stacking interactions endow the NXPCMs with outstanding leakage resistance, excellent mechanical performance (tensile strength of 15.83 MPa and elongation at break of 949.8 %), and high flexibility. Owing to the tunable polyethylene glycol (PEG) segments, the phase-change temperatures (40.1–50.9 °C) and latent heat values (93.89–131.3 J/g) can be effectively tailored within a desirable range. Notably, the limitations associated with conventional physical incorporation of photothermal fillers are overcome by embedding 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) directly into the polymer backbone, enabling simultaneous enhancement of photothermal conversion efficiency and mechanical integrity. As a result, the NXPCMs demonstrate excellent suitability for personal wearable thermal management. This work offers a promising strategy for the development of intrinsically photothermal PCMs for flexible wearable thermal management applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 114158"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882640","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-06DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114101
Cheolwook Kwon , Sang Hee Lee , Kwan Hong Min , Yong-Jin Kim , Yunae Cho , Soohyun Bae , Hee-eun Song , Min Gu Kang , Soo Min Kim , Young-Joo Eo , Hae-Seok Lee
<div><div>The contact-formation process is a critical determinant of the final performance of high-efficiency silicon solar cells. Among existing characterization methods, the Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> measurement is widely employed to evaluate the intrinsic performance of fully processed solar cells under open-circuit conditions, in which the influence of series resistance is eliminated. This technique enables the extraction of key recombination-loss components, including the emitter (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), base (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), and space-charge region (SCR)(<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>S</mi><mi>C</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> or <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>02</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>), providing insight into the internal recombination mechanisms of the device. In passivated emitter and rear cells, <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>f</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> can be extracted by adjusting the metal–emitter contact fraction. However, this approach cannot be applied to silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells in which full-area contact exists between the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and doped amorphous silicon. In this study, we define a contact-induced recombination-loss parameter, <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>, to characterize the recombination loss in SHJ structures. We propose contact-induced recombination analysis for photovoltaics (CIRAP), a method for extracting <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> from Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> measurements performed on fully processed SHJ solar cells. This method extracts <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> from Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> data using nonlinear curve fitting, providing a complementary diagnostic capability that reduces the dependence on additional test structures. Using CIRAP, we extract <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> values in the range of <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>8</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> to <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>9</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> A/cm<sup>2</sup>, reflecting the recombination loss induced by the TCO contact. This work provides a nondestructive and accurate diagnostic tool for process optimization in high-efficiency silicon solar cel
{"title":"Contact-Induced Recombination Analysis for Photovoltaics (CIRAP) using one-time Suns-Voc","authors":"Cheolwook Kwon , Sang Hee Lee , Kwan Hong Min , Yong-Jin Kim , Yunae Cho , Soohyun Bae , Hee-eun Song , Min Gu Kang , Soo Min Kim , Young-Joo Eo , Hae-Seok Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114101","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The contact-formation process is a critical determinant of the final performance of high-efficiency silicon solar cells. Among existing characterization methods, the Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> measurement is widely employed to evaluate the intrinsic performance of fully processed solar cells under open-circuit conditions, in which the influence of series resistance is eliminated. This technique enables the extraction of key recombination-loss components, including the emitter (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), base (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), and space-charge region (SCR)(<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>S</mi><mi>C</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> or <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>02</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>), providing insight into the internal recombination mechanisms of the device. In passivated emitter and rear cells, <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>f</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> can be extracted by adjusting the metal–emitter contact fraction. However, this approach cannot be applied to silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells in which full-area contact exists between the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and doped amorphous silicon. In this study, we define a contact-induced recombination-loss parameter, <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>, to characterize the recombination loss in SHJ structures. We propose contact-induced recombination analysis for photovoltaics (CIRAP), a method for extracting <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> from Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> measurements performed on fully processed SHJ solar cells. This method extracts <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> from Suns-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>O</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> data using nonlinear curve fitting, providing a complementary diagnostic capability that reduces the dependence on additional test structures. Using CIRAP, we extract <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> values in the range of <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>8</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> to <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>9</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> A/cm<sup>2</sup>, reflecting the recombination loss induced by the TCO contact. This work provides a nondestructive and accurate diagnostic tool for process optimization in high-efficiency silicon solar cel","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 114101"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683518","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114112
Lu Chen , Xianglin Guo , Mingquan Wang , Wei Jiang , Sixiang Cai , Xueqing Tang , Zhen Wang
Electrochromic devices based on non-metallic iodine (I2) electrodeposition feature a simple structure, low cost, and high optical contrast but suffer from poor cycling stability due to the low conductivity of solid I2 and the formation of dead iodine. Herein, 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium ions (MPI+) are introduced into an I−-containing water-in-salt electrolyte, enabling the concurrent generation of solid I2 and liquid MPII3 under anodic oxidation. The liquid MPII3 enhances the I2 adhesion and interfacial contact, providing a self-healing effect that suppresses dead iodine while improving charge transport and reaction kinetics. As a result, the electrochromic device exhibits outstanding overall performance, including a high optical modulation of 69.2 %, fast switching speeds with coloring/bleaching times of 6.9/11.9 s, and excellent cycling durability with optical contrast retention exceeding 100 % after 20,000 cycles. Furthermore, a large-area dual-deposition electrochromic device with an active area of 100 cm2 was successfully fabricated, demonstrating high modulation and uniform coloration capability. This work provides a new strategy and technical foundation for the design and practical development of high-performance solid-state deposition-type electrochromic devices.
{"title":"Enhancing cycling stability of iodine electrodeposition electrochromic devices Assisted by liquid active adhesion material","authors":"Lu Chen , Xianglin Guo , Mingquan Wang , Wei Jiang , Sixiang Cai , Xueqing Tang , Zhen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrochromic devices based on non-metallic iodine (I<sub>2</sub>) electrodeposition feature a simple structure, low cost, and high optical contrast but suffer from poor cycling stability due to the low conductivity of solid I<sub>2</sub> and the formation of dead iodine. Herein, 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium ions (MPI<sup>+</sup>) are introduced into an I<sup>−</sup>-containing water-in-salt electrolyte, enabling the concurrent generation of solid I<sub>2</sub> and liquid MPII<sub>3</sub> under anodic oxidation. The liquid MPII<sub>3</sub> enhances the I<sub>2</sub> adhesion and interfacial contact, providing a self-healing effect that suppresses dead iodine while improving charge transport and reaction kinetics. As a result, the electrochromic device exhibits outstanding overall performance, including a high optical modulation of 69.2 %, fast switching speeds with coloring/bleaching times of 6.9/11.9 s, and excellent cycling durability with optical contrast retention exceeding 100 % after 20,000 cycles. Furthermore, a large-area dual-deposition electrochromic device with an active area of 100 cm<sup>2</sup> was successfully fabricated, demonstrating high modulation and uniform coloration capability. This work provides a new strategy and technical foundation for the design and practical development of high-performance solid-state deposition-type electrochromic devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 114112"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735477","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114113
Allyson Robert , Nico Fransaert , Willem Awouters , Wouter Marchal , Peter Adriaensens , Roland Valcke , Jean V. Manca
Recently, “photovoltaic photographs” were proposed as a creative application of photovoltaic technologies, relevant in fields such as architecture. A high-resolution image is created in solar cells by light-induced patterning of the photoactive layer, causing a local change in the appearance of the solar cell. Here, we investigate the physico-chemical changes induced by this process in the photoactive layer of proof-of-concept N719 photovoltaic photographs, to better understand the underlying mechanisms and further develop the concept. By combining a variety of techniques, we show a previously unreported multi-step degradation of the isothiocyanate ligand of the dye, correlated to visual color changes. Time-resolved UV–VIS spectroscopy revealed the catalytic role played by TiO2, causing a blueshift (35 nm) in the dye’s 495 nm metal-to-ligand charge-transfer peaks within 10 h. This is confirmed through infrared spectroscopy showing a 24 cm−1 shift to smaller wavenumbers of the CN-stretching vibration. Finally, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) reveals the multi-step nature of the degradation, through the transient increase of an signal. These insights are of importance for a better understanding of the photo-induced degradation of N719, a more substantiated control of the patterning process, and to design appropriate light-induced patterning techniques for other classes of solar cells.
{"title":"On the underlying mechanism of light-induced patterning of N719-stained photoanodes for “photovoltaic photographs”","authors":"Allyson Robert , Nico Fransaert , Willem Awouters , Wouter Marchal , Peter Adriaensens , Roland Valcke , Jean V. Manca","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.114113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently, “photovoltaic photographs” were proposed as a creative application of photovoltaic technologies, relevant in fields such as architecture. A high-resolution image is created in solar cells by light-induced patterning of the photoactive layer, causing a local change in the appearance of the solar cell. Here, we investigate the physico-chemical changes induced by this process in the photoactive layer of proof-of-concept N719 photovoltaic photographs, to better understand the underlying mechanisms and further develop the concept. By combining a variety of techniques, we show a previously unreported multi-step degradation of the isothiocyanate ligand of the dye, correlated to visual color changes. Time-resolved UV–VIS spectroscopy revealed the catalytic role played by TiO<sub>2</sub>, causing a blueshift (35<!--> <!-->nm) in the dye’s 495<!--> <!-->nm metal-to-ligand charge-transfer peaks within 10 h. This is confirmed through infrared spectroscopy showing a 24<!--> <!-->cm<sup>−1</sup> shift to smaller wavenumbers of the CN-stretching vibration. Finally, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) reveals the multi-step nature of the degradation, through the transient increase of an <figure><img></figure> signal. These insights are of importance for a better understanding of the photo-induced degradation of N719, a more substantiated control of the patterning process, and to design appropriate light-induced patterning techniques for other classes of solar cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 114113"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735473","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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