Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy最新文献

The thermal management of cylindrical battery packs, widely used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, is a critical aspect of ensuring their safety, performance, and longevity. As energy densities increase, effective cooling solutions become essential to address the challenges posed by excessive heat generation and uneven temperature distribution. This review has highlighted the promising potential of hybrid nanofluids and phase change materials (PCMs) in advancing thermal management systems for battery packs. Hybrid nanofluids, offering enhanced heat transfer properties, and PCMs, capable of storing and dissipating latent heat, represent a promising synergy for improving thermal management systems. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of hybrid nanofluids and PCM in addressing the thermal challenges of cylindrical battery packs. The paper discusses heat generation mechanisms, the drawbacks of existing cooling methods, and the advantages of integrating these advanced materials into thermal management systems. By identifying research gaps and opportunities, this review offers a pathway for optimizing battery performance and highlights future research directions necessary for scalable and sustainable solutions. According to this review, future research should concentrate on creating hybrid cooling systems that effectively combine active, passive, and hybrid cooling techniques. Additional advancements in computer modeling, nanotechnology, and material science will be crucial to achieving the full potential of these innovative materials and overcoming existing limitations.

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) offer a scalable and durable solution for integrating intermittent renewable energy sources into the power grid. To evaluate their performance under realistic operating conditions, we present a high-precision two-dimensional multiphysics model for VRFBs that captures the coupling relationships between electrochemical reactions and thermodynamics. A statistically derived long-term varying power profile is compared with a continuous current load of equivalent average current to evaluate battery performance under significant load variations. The results indicate a reduction in system efficiency, with an approximate 8% decrease under dynamic loading conditions, primarily due to current fluctuations and increased pump power demands. However, the state of health (SOH) remained largely unaffected, stabilizing around 99.3%, which suggests minimal degradation over a full day of intermittent operation. This suggests that VRFBs can effectively handle intermittent operation without significant degradation, making them suitable for renewable energy integration.

Developing high-performance electrocatalysts for the large-scale hydrogen evolution reaction via electrochemical water splitting is essential. In this research, nickel-aluminum-zinc nanoparticles were deposited onto three-dimensional nickel foam (NiAlZn/NF) using a hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the synthesized electrocatalyst were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystalline nature was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Also, the activity of the hydrogen evolution reaction was investigated using linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) in a 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte. The coated samples were compared with the bare nickel foam substrate. The results showed the potentials required to create a current density of 10 and 100 mA/cm² for the 3Ni-4Al-1Zn specimen deposited on nickel foam are 196 and 479 mV, and for the 4Ni-3Al-1Zn are 233 and 484 mV, and for the 3Ni-3Al-1Zn, are 218 and 587 mV, and for the raw nickel foam, are 251 and 624 mV, respectively. Also, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the value of R_ct for 3Ni4Al1Zn, 4Ni3Al1Zn, 3Ni3Al1Zn, and nickel foam is 6.4, 10.2, 18, and 22.1 Ω, respectively. Besides, 3Ni4Al1Zn/NF also shows long-term stability lasting six hours. The R_ct value for the 3Ni4Al1Zn sample is lower than the rest, which indicates a better charge transfer during the electrochemical process. The results showed that the coated specimens performed better catalytic behavior in hydrogen generation than the bare nickel foam sample.

The use of plasmonic nanomaterials as performance enhancers in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has recently gained significant attention, with photonic excitation of metal nanoparticles resulting in improved light entrapment and near-field excitation. However, there are limited studies on using pulsed laser-synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles as modified photoanodes within the DSSC architecture. In this study, colloids of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with varying concentrations are produced using the advanced nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid technique and subsequently implanted into the TiO₂ photoanode of the N719 DSSC, forming an Ag@TiO₂ nanostructure. The optical properties, investigated through UV-visible spectroscopy, reveal a concentration-dependent absorbance of colloidal Ag NPs based on the duration of laser exposure. Using a second harmonic wavelength of 532 nm leads to the formation of spherical and quasi-spherical nanoparticles with a size range of 20–180 nm. The photovoltaic performance of a solution-processed DSSC with the Ag@TiO₂ modified photoanode at varying concentrations of Ag NPs is studied, with an optimal concentration of 13 µg/ml and doping (wt%) of 2.0%, resulting in almost a two-fold increase in photocurrent density (J_sc) of 13.56 mA/cm², and maximum power output (P_max) of 1.125 mW, with the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.50% when compared with standard DSSC. The DSSC characterizations, including transient photocurrent response, showed higher current density for Ag-doped photoanodes compared with bare TiO_2, and the electrochemical impedance of the modified DSSC showed the lowest transfer resistance (R_c-t) of 3.6 Ω. Finally, the developed plasmonic DSSC highlights the effect of enhanced light absorption through localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and enhanced charge transfer within the absorber layer, resulting in improved solar cell performance.

For commercial purposes in the solar cell field which toxicity and stability of lead-based perovskite solar cells (PSC) are important challenges, the presence of lead-free alternatives like Cs₂TiBr₆, Cs₂AgBiBr₆ and Cs₂PtI₆ double perovskites seems important. The aim of this study is to numerical evaluation of three double perovskite layers as potential photovoltaic (PV) materials in solar cells with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/TiO₂/perovskite/Cu₂O/Au structures by using SCAPS-1D software. Different composite layers were optimized and analyzed to enable enhanced performance. Numerical results showed maximum power-conversion efficiency of 18.86%, 18.54%, and 26.50% for the suggested PSCs with Cs₂TiBr₆, Cs₂AgBiBr_6, and Cs₂PtI₆ absorbers. The achieved outcomes confirmed that Cs₂PtI₆ can contribute significantly to the development of highly efficient lead-free double-perovskite solar cell technology.

The presence of critical raw materials, primarily cobalt, in scrap and spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) constitutes an important research spot for the recycling of LIBs and cobalt recovery. Instead of solely relying on the complicated and suboptimal application of the recovered cobalt in the fabrication of the LIB cathode materials, alternative technologies can also be explored such as alkaline water electrolysis where hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the key bottlenecks. Therefore, herein a flexible and highly efficient use of Co-based materials derived from different life stages of LIBs (from production scrap, waste cathode from spent LIBs, scraps from resynthesized cathodes) have been exploited for HER in alkaline media. Particularly, production scraps from commercial lithium cobalt oxide (c-LCO), commercial scraps LCO subjected to thermal treatment (p-LCO) at three diverse temperatures (400 °C, 550 °C and 700 °C), LCO recovered from waste batteries (w-LCO), and resynthesized LCO (r-LCO) subjected to the optimum temperature identified in the p-LCO step. The structures, morphologies, and surface chemistries of obtained materials were thoroughly analyzed and compared. Furthermore, the electrocatalyst inks were optimized by mixing with two different types of carbon substrates i.e. Ketjenblack and Vulcan XC72R in varying ratios. The half-cell measurements based on a rotating disk electrode (RDE) demonstrated encouraging HER activity with overpotentials in the range of 262–347 mV at the typical current density of 10 mA cm^− 2. This work underlines novel possibilities in the valorization of waste materials, transforming waste into value-added products by combining the ambitions of the circular economy and green energy while following simpler pathways.

Silicon and silicon-based compounds are extensively used in various applications, including electronics, solar panels, construction materials, automotive technology and medical devices. What is little reported is that these materials are largely utilized in fuel cells, playing various roles. The utilization of Si-based and Si-containing compounds, such as oxide (SiO₂) and non-oxide (TiSiN) ceramics, SiOC black glasses and borosilicate glasses and glass ceramics, in composite matrices and coatings for bipolar plates/interconnects, and in sealant materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells fuel cells is presented and discussed.

Research into perovskite solar cells (PSC) is making significant progress toward contributing to renewable energy generation. With perovskite solar cells, power conversion efficiency above 25% has been reported, making it a promising technology. The existing module perovskite-based type cells indeed display the best performance of all the types available in the markets, even with the excess temperature conditions as concerns. However, the chances of perovskite-based types providing sustainable energy are low, and more work is still required. This article discusses predictions about workability issues and the existence of a high forbidden zone that came with PSCs. It then reviews the degradation mechanisms and solutions to overcome these stability problems. PSCs have a big commercialization issue, which may concern their stability because their productivity is unstable in real-time operation, especially under long run-time conditions. In addition, the review expands on how PSC materials effectively transport charges and how the various barriers present in PSCs are affected. The article goes into more detail on how perovskite crystal orientation has lately been significant, which modern design is suitable for perovskite solar cells, how different layers in perovskite cells are made, and what kind of materials are laid between electron transport layers (ETLs) and buffer layers. The final part of the article provides insight into the methods for overcoming degradation and enhancing the stability PSCs, which is crucial for commercialization.

The transition to sustainable energy has driven extensive research into perovskite solar cells (PSCs) as promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaics. Despite their remarkable efficiencies, the commercialization of PSCs remains hindered by lead toxicity and material instability. In this study, we investigate a lead-free samarium-based double perovskite oxide, Sm₂NiMnO₆ (SNMO), as the active absorber layer in an innovative inverted, hole transport layer (HTL)-free PSC architecture. Using SCAPS-1D simulations, we optimized the device configuration and achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.93%, with an open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.8 V, a short-circuit current density (J_SC) of 16.46 mA cm⁻², and a fill factor (FF) of 82.14%. Notably, increasing the SNMO absorber thickness enhanced light absorption in the red spectral region, shifting the external quantum efficiency (EQE) peak from 380 nm wavelength at a thickness of 50 nm to approximately  620 nm at 1 µm. Furthermore, we investigated various electron transport layers (ETLs) and found that the indium tin oxide (ITO) exhibited superior PV performances, boosting the PCE to ~ 12.6% due to its excellent conductivity and optimal energy band alignment with SNMO. These findings establish SNMO as a promising absorber material for environmentally friendly PSCs, paving the way for cheaper, simpler, scalable, and sustainable photovoltaic solutions. This work highlights the potential of HTL-free architectures to reduce costs and complexities while maintaining competitive efficiencies, marking a significant step forward in the development of lead-free solar technologies.

Fossil fuels dominate the world's energy consumption, including transportation, chemicals, and materials generation. Conversely, using conventional energies has resulted in massive environmental damage and climate change. This study looks into developing briquettes from sorghum stalks and groundnut husks utilizing cow dung as a binder for fuel production using the low-pressure compaction method, an important renewable energy source. The briquettes were labeled with cow dung binder compositions (5–25%), ratios (75–95%), and particle sizes ranging from 1 to 3 mm. The raw materials were collected and cleaned, then sun-dried, followed by carbonized and ground using a mortar grinder. Design of Expert (DOE) software, Excel, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to perform numerical and graphical data analyses. After briquetting, the proximate properties of the moisture content were 3.16%, fixed carbon 13.04%, volatile matter 80.20%, and ash 3.6%. The briquette had 51.56% carbon, 6.302% hydrogen, 0.0042% nitrogen, 42.134% oxygen, and 0.00093% sulfur. The calorific value of mixed briquettes varies from 20.08 to 24.36 MJ/kg. The maximum calorific value was achieved with a particle size of 1 mm and a 25% cow dung binder content, as a minimal particle size was preferred. According to the analysis, the created briquettes were smokeless, low in Ash content, and had a high Calorific value for burning above 17 MJ/kg for industrial driving and above 13 MJ/kg for household usage. The result of standardization on the diet of cow dung revealed that grain-fed dung offered a higher calorific value of 20 MJ/kg, while a higher shatter resistance of 90% was recorded using grass straw fed, which outlines the importance of diet on the efficiency of the binder. Developing briquettes from these biomasses can increase job prospects, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and improve waste management.

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