Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy最新文献

Briquetted biomass, like sugarcane bagasse, a by-product of sugar mills, is a renewable energy source. This study aimed at the production and characterization of bagasse briquettes. The production of briquettes was carried out with different blending ratios (5, 10, and 15%) and average particle sizes (0.75, 2.775, and 4.8 mm) with various binders of cow dung, waste paper, and admixture (molasses and wastepaper). The bagasse underwent drying, size reduction, sieving, binder addition, and densification using a manual press during the briquetting process. Characterization of the physical and combustion parameters of briquettes, such as density, shatter resistance, proximate, and calorific value, followed the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures. The result shows that the maximum density of briquettes was 0.804 g/cm³, while shatter resistance varied from 83.051 to 94.975% (4.8mm, 5% cow dung and 0.75mm, 5% admixture binders respectively). ANOVA analysis showed that the factors and their interactions had a significant influence (p value < 0.05) on the physical properties. The optimum parameters of briquettes achieved were 14.953% admixture binder, 0.776 mm particle size, 0.805 g/cm³ density, and 95.811% shatter resistance. Bagasse briquettes with a 5% cow dung binder achieved a high calorific value of 39927.05 kcal/kg. The ultimate analysis revealed a composition of 47.49% carbon (C), 5.133% hydrogen (H), 1.557% nitrogen (N), 0.374% sulfur (S), and 45.446% oxygen (O). Therefore, bagasse has a high calorific value and can be used for briquetting to replace fossil fuel and firewood in different applications. In addition, due to its availability, utilizing as fuel source has economic advantage.

Graphical abstract

The crown leaves of pineapple possess a wealth of smooth and glossy silk medium-length fibers, primarily composed of cellulose and lignin, accompanied by constituents such as fats, waxes, pectin, uronic acid, anhydride, pentosan, color pigments, and inorganic substances. These fibers exhibit an anisotropic nature and are characterized by hydrogen bonding interactions, rendering them effective in conjunction with semiconductor oxide (TiO₂) through their cellulosic fibrils. The dye extracted from Pineapple Crown Leaves (PCL) using ethanol was subjected to FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy. The FTIR analysis revealed absorption peaks at 3268 cm⁻¹ and 2922 cm⁻¹, confirming the presence of –OH and –CH stretching attributed to the fibrils within the dye. UV–visible spectroscopy further demonstrated absorption within the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Additionally, a photoluminescence study of the dye showcased emission within the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Subsequently, a solar cell incorporating this dye underwent JV characterization, yielding an efficiency of 1.0034%, along with fill factor, open-circuit voltage, and short-circuit current density values of 0.40644, 0.7058 V, and 3.4906 mA/cm², respectively. To gain deeper insights and facilitate optimization for large-scale installations, a simulation model utilizing PC1D was proposed to explore the influential parameters of the Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are low-cost solar energy conversion devices with variable color and transparency advantages. DSSCs' potential power efficiency output, even in diffuse light conditions with consistent performance, allows them to be used in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) window applications. Significantly, the development of bifacial DSSCs is getting significant scientific consideration. Triiodide/iodide (I₃^–/I^–) redox couple-mediated DSSCs require highly effective and stable electrocatalysts for I₃⁻ reduction to overcome their performance constraints. However, the commonly employed platinum (Pt) cathodes have restrictions on high price and unfavorable durability. Here, we report platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) incorporated into multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) composites with lower Pt content as an efficient bifacial counter electrode (CE) material for DSSC applications. Pt NPs were homogenously decorated over the MWCNT surfaces using a simple polyol method at relatively low temperatures. CEs fabricated using Pt/MWCNT composites exhibited excellent transparency and power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 6.92% and 6.09% for front and rear illumination. The results are expected to bring significant advances in bifacial DSSCs for real-world window applications.

Renewable energy research has received tremendous attention in recent years in a quest to circumvent the current global energy crisis. This study carefully selected and simulated the copper indium sulfur ternary compound semiconductor material with cadmium sulfide owing to their advantage in photovoltaic applications. Despite the potential of the materials in photovoltaic devices, the causes of degradation in the photovoltaic efficiency using such compound semiconductor materials have not really been investigated. However, electrical parameters of the materials such as open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and fill factor have been extensively studied and reported as major causes of degradation in materials’ efficiency. Furthermore, identifying such electrical characteristics as a primary degradation mechanism in solar cells, this study work is an ardent effort that investigates the materials' electrical behavior as a cure to the degradation associated with compound semiconductor-based photovoltaic. In this study, we numerically characterized the electrical properties such as fill factor, open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, power conversion efficiency, net recombination rate, net generation rate, generation current density, recombination current density, hole current density, electrons current density, energy band diagram, capacitance–voltage, electric field strength of the heterostructured CIS/CdS compound semiconductor material using SCAP-1D. We also investigated the effect of temperature on the electrical properties of heterostructured materials. The obtained results reveal the uniformity of the total current density in the material despite the exponential decrease in the electron current density and the exponential increase in hole current density. The extracted solar cell parameters of the heterostructured CIS/CdS at 300 K are 18.6% for PCE, 64.8% for FF, 0.898 V for V_oc, and 32 mA cm⁻² for J_sc. After the investigation of the effect of temperature on the CIS/CdS compound semiconductor material, it was observed that the solar cell was most efficient at 300 K. The energy band gap of the CIS/CdS compound semiconductor material shrinks with an increase in temperature. The highest net recombination rate and recombination current is at 400 K, while the net generation rate and generation current density are independent of temperature. The study, on the other hand, gave insights into the potential degradation process, and utilizing the study’s findings could provide photovoltaic degradation remediation.

Methanolysis of yellow grease (YG) was performed to synthesize its corresponding methyl ester (YGME) using BaO loaded on ZSM-5 (BaO/ZSM-5) as a heterogeneous base catalyst that was prepared via metallic solution hydrolysis method and characterized using N₂ adsorption–desorption (BET), surface basicity, XRD, TGA/DTA, SEM, FTIR and Raman techniques.### The Taguchi design approach was utilized to optimize the transesterification process factors, and among the parameters studied, calcination temperature was found to have a significant influence on YGME yield. At 70 ℃ for 3 h, a YGME yield of 95.9 (pm 0.94)% was obtained using a methanol/YG molar ratio of 15:1 and 1 g (2 wt.% of YG used) of BaO/ZSM-5 sample calcined at 700 ℃. The BaO/ZSM-5 catalyst was reused six times with only a 15% decrease in activity.

Degradation performance of photovoltaic modules (SPV) by real conditions has become increasingly problematic. In dusty areas, dust accumulation is one of the main concerns that may cause a significant determination of SPV efficiency. In the current study, the effect of four dust-accumulated densities of 6, 12, 18, and 24 g/m² have been investigated in outdoor conditions in Cairo, Egypt. The performance evaluation of SPV modules in the form of front and backside temperatures of the SPV module has been evaluated in addition to current, voltage, power, and efficiency of the SPV modules. The results showed that, as compared with a clean SPV module, with increasing dust density from 6 to 24 g/m² the frontside temperature of SPV modules were lower by 6–8 ℃. While their backside temperatures were found to be higher by 2–6 ℃. In addition, the difference between the backside and frontside temperatures of the SPV module ranged from 5 to 14 ℃ for dust modules as compared with 3 ℃ for the clean SPV module. The output power and efficiency of dusty SPV modules were found to be lower by 6–45% and 13–38%, respectively as compared with clean SPV module. The results clearly showed the importance of properly maintaining and servicing the SPV modules to avoid their degradation by dust accumulated.

Future revolution in photovoltaics will be hinged mainly on cost, health implication, and material stability and performance. Based on these criteria, lead-based inorganic photovoltaics, organic–inorganic hybrid, and silicon photovoltaics are screened-out. According to the literature, the lead-free inorganic perovskite solar cell is favorably disposed to cost and safe-health. However, the simultaneous solution to material stability, high defect density, and low power conversion efficiency (PCE) still remains a mystery that has not been solved. This research proposed the green-based modifiable CaZnBr₄ as a potential candidate for lead-free solar cell application based on the principle of A-site cation with green-based additive incorporation. The green-based additive was obtained from Kola Nitida, Carica Papaya, Ficus Exasperata, and Musa paradisiaca. The elemental characterization of the green-based additives was performed using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The optical, crystalline, and electronic properties were characterized using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Quantum Espresso, scanning electron microscopy and SCAPS-1D. The green-base-modified CaZnBr₄ showed significant PCE improvement by 3% with significant film and crystallinity formation. The stressed state of the parent compound CaZnBr₄ shows that it may be better suited for thermovoltaics application. It is recommended that better results could be obtained when different synthetic routes and green-based additives are used to initiate the defect passivation protocols.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) rely heavily on the counter electrode for their performance, which is responsible for collecting and transferring electrons generated at the photoanode. While platinum (Pt) has traditionally been used as a counter-electrode material, its cost, limited availability, and environmental concerns make it an unsuitable option for large-scale implementation. Iron–nitrogen––carbon (Fe–N–C) catalysts are receiving increasing attention due to their high catalytic activity and low cost. This study aims to investigate the performance of Fe–N–C materials as counter electrodes in DSSCs and assess their potential as a sustainable alternative to currently used platinum. Two different Fe–N–C-based materials have been synthesized using different carbon and nitrogen sources, and their electrochemical behavior has been assessed using current–voltage curves and impedance spectroscopy. The catalyst comprised a higher amount of iron and nitrogen shows higher efficiency and lower charge-transfer resistance due to improved iodide reaction kinetics and proper stability under potential cycling. However, this catalyst shows lower stability under a passive ageing procedure, which requires further clarification. Results provide new insights into the performance of Fe–N–C-based materials in DSSCs and aid in the further development of this promising technology.

Utilizing artificial intelligent based algorithms in solving engineering problems is widely spread nowadays. Herein, this study provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the application of machine learning (ML) models to complex datasets in the field of solar cell power conversion efficiency (PCE). Mainly, perovskite solar cells generate three datasets, varying dataset size and complexity. Various popular regression models and hyperparameter tuning techniques are studied to guide researchers and practitioners looking to leverage machine learning methods for their data-driven projects. Specifically, four ML models were investigated; random forest (RF), gradient boosting (GBR), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and linear regression (LR), while monitoring the ML model accuracy, complexity, computational cost, and time as evaluating parameters. Inputs' importance and contribution were examined for the three datasets, recording a dominating effect for the electron transport layer's (ETL) doping as the main controlling parameter in tuning the cell's overall PCE. For the first dataset, ETL doping recorded 93.6%, as the main contributor to the cell PCE, reducing to 79.0% in the third dataset.

In this study, we synthesized neat and loaded lead phosphate glass (PbO–P₂O₅) with the inclusion of Cr, Co, Ni, and Zn using an inexpensive sol–gel technique. These composites were then deposited on silica glass substrates. Our objective was to investigate the influence of these fillers on the properties of the glass. The concentrations of the fillers were varied from 0 to 16 wt%, and the resulting thin films were characterized by measuring the absorption coefficient and estimating the optical band gap at room temperature. Additionally, we measured the electrical resistivity of the semiconducting thin films as a function of filler concentrations and temperature. To assess the overall performance of the films, we calculated the figure of merit using the Iles and Soclof approach, considering the DC resistance versus free carrier concentration and absorption coefficient. Interestingly, our results revealed a significant improvement in the figure of merit at specific filler concentrations. The obtained results are comprehensive and provide detailed insights. They indicate that the thin films produced in this study have the potential to be useful in energy devices, particularly in applications involving P–N junctions and similar structures.