Tiny Grooves Unlock New Potential in Solar Cell Manufacturing

by Sophie Jenkins

London, UK (SPX) Feb 20, 2025

A breakthrough in solar energy technology has been achieved by researchers at the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with UK-based company Power Roll Ltd. Their study, published in *ACS Applied Energy Materials*, introduces an innovative method of manufacturing flexible solar cells without the use of rare earth metals, offering a more affordable and efficient approach to solar power.

The newly developed solar cells employ a perovskite semiconductor and are manufactured using an embossing technique that etches microscopic grooves into plastic film. These grooves are then filled with the perovskite material, resulting in lightweight and flexible solar films that can be applied to unconventional surfaces, such as rooftops that cannot support conventional solar panels. With their reduced cost and adaptability, these cells have the potential to accelerate solar energy deployment, particularly in developing regions where access to traditional solar infrastructure is limited.

The key innovation in this technology is its back-contact solar cell format, which differs from traditional layered solar cells. By placing all electrical contacts on the back of the cell, this design simplifies manufacturing and enhances efficiency. The research team utilized a Hard X-ray nanoprobe microscope at Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire to analyze the structure and composition of the solar cells in unprecedented detail. This analysis helped identify voids, defects, and crystal boundaries within the semiconductor material, marking the first time such imaging techniques have been applied to this type of solar technology.

Unlike conventional solar cells that rely on costly and scarce materials such as indium, this new approach uses widely available components, making it an economically viable and sustainable alternative. Professor David Lidzey, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Sheffield’s School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, highlighted the significance of this advancement.

“A key advantage of these flexible films is that the panel can be stuck onto any surface. In the UK, you currently have to think twice about adding thick solar panels onto relatively fragile roofs of warehouses that are not really designed to be load-bearing. With this lightweight solar technology, you could essentially stick it anywhere. This could be a gamechanger for solar energy in low and middle-income countries.”

He further emphasized the strategic importance of solar energy research at the university, noting their decade-long partnership with Power Roll Ltd. “We’ve partnered with Power Roll for over 10 years, combining our expertise in materials science and advanced imaging techniques with their focus on manufacturing, and this collaboration has been very successful, resulting in this exciting new product.”

The University of Sheffield is globally recognized for its leadership in sustainability and advanced manufacturing. Its collaboration with Power Roll reflects a shared commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions and fostering innovative technologies that address pressing global energy challenges.

Dr. Nathan Hill, lead author of the study and research scientist at Power Roll, underscored the impact of this partnership: “This partnership demonstrates the potential of combining cutting-edge research with industrial innovation to deliver transformative solutions in renewable energy. We are advancing technology that could play a significant role in achieving global net-zero targets, and by combining our collective research and academic capabilities we are able to further prove out the science sitting behind Power Roll’s technology.”

He also noted prior collaborative efforts with the University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy to enhance solar cell designs, leading to reductions in manufacturing costs and improvements in solar efficiency.

With perovskite-based solar technology still in its early stages, ongoing research and academic exploration are crucial to refining product development and deepening scientific understanding. The next phase of this research will focus on advancing X-ray microscopy techniques for further material characterization. New experiments scheduled for the summer at Diamond Light Source aim to investigate key aspects of device operation, particularly stability.

Dr. Jessica Walker, I14 beamline scientist at Diamond Light Source Ltd., emphasized the importance of these upcoming studies: “The techniques and resolution offered by I14 are ideally suited to help answer scientific questions that remain around perovskite-based solar cell materials. It is exciting to see how our capabilities have contributed to both academic and industrial research and culminated in such a promising development for the field of energy materials, as well as a direct and tangible application with high potential for impact.”

Research Report:Back-contact Perovskite Solar Cell Modules Fabricated via Roll-to-Roll Slot-die Coating: Scale-up Towards Manufacture

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University of Sheffield

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Princeton Chemistry demonstrates high-performance Sodium-ion cathode towards new battery technology

by Wendy Plump for Princeton News

Princeton NJ (SPX) Feb 20, 2025

For decades, scientists have sought ways to counter our dependence on lithium-ion batteries. These traditional, rechargeable batteries energize today’s most ubiquitous consumer electronics – from laptops to cell phones to electric cars. But raw lithium is expensive and is often sourced through fragile geopolitical networks.

This month, Princeton University’s Dinca Group announces an exciting alternative that relies on an organic, high-energy cathode material to make sodium-ion batteries, advancing the likelihood that this technology will find commercialization with safe, cheaper, more sustainable components.

While scientists have made some progress with sodium-ion batteries, hurdles arise largely because of their low energy density: they have shorter battery-run times relative to their size. High power density, which relates to output, also factors into their performance. Achieving high energy density and high power density simultaneously has been an ongoing challenge for alternative batteries.

But the cathode material put forward by the Dinca Group, a layered organic solid called bis-tetraaminobenzoquinone (TAQ), outperforms traditional lithium-ion cathodes in both energy and power densities in a technology that is truly scalable.

Their research has potential for large-scale energy storage applications like data centers, power grids, and commercial-scale renewable energy systems, in addition to electric vehicles.

“Everyone understands the challenges that come with having limited resources for something as important as batteries, and lithium certainly qualifies as ‘limited’ in a number of ways,” said Mircea Dinca, the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of Chemistry. “It’s always better to have a diversified portfolio for these materials. Sodium is literally everywhere. For us, going after batteries that are made with really abundant resources like the organic matter and seawater is among our greatest research dreams.

“Energy density is something on a lot of people’s minds because you can equate it with how much juice you get in a battery. The more energy density you have, the farther your car goes before you have to recharge it. We’ve answered quite emphatically that the new material we developed has the largest energy density, certainly on a per kilogram basis, and competes with the best materials out there even on a volumetric basis.

“Being on the front lines of developing a truly sustainable and cost-effective sodium ion cathode or battery is truly exciting.”

With funding from Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., the lab’s research, High-Energy, High-Power Sodium-Ion Batteries from a Layered Organic Cathode, appears this month in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).

Approaching theoretical maximum capacity

The lab underscored the advantages of TAQ a year ago when they first reported on its utility for making lithium-ion batteries in ACS Central Science. Researchers simply continued investigating its potential, particularly when they found TAQ to be completely insoluble and highly conductive, two key technical advantages for an organic cathode material. A cathode is an essential component of all polarized devices.

So they endeavored to construct an organic, sodium-ion battery using the same material, TAQ. The process took about a year, as researchers had to adapt several design principles that could not be ported over from lithium-ion technology.

In the end, the results exceeded their expectations. Their cathode’s performance nearly is close to a benchmark known as the theoretical maximum capacity.

“The binder we chose, carbon nanotubes, facilitates the mixing of TAQ crystallites and carbon black particles, leading to a homogeneous electrode,” said Dinca Group Ph.D. and first author on the paper, Tianyang Chen. “The carbon nanotubes closely wrap around TAQ crystallites and interconnect them. Both of these factors promote electron transport within the electrode bulk, enabling an almost 100% active material utilization, which leads to almost theoretical maximum capacity.

“The use of carbon nanotubes considerably improves the rate performance of the battery, which means that the battery can store the same amount of energy within a much shorter charging time, or can store much more energy within the same charging time.”

Chen said TAQ’s benefit as a cathode material also include its stability against air and moisture, long lifespan, ability to withstand high temperatures, and environmental sustainability.

Research Report:High-Energy, High-Power Sodium-Ion Batteries from a Layered Organic Cathode

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Frick Chemistry Laboratory Princeton University

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Revolutionary Flexible Dual-Band Electrochromic Window Enhances Energy Efficiency and Storage

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Feb 20, 2025

With buildings responsible for nearly 40% of global energy consumption, and a substantial portion of that used for heating and cooling, improving energy efficiency remains a crucial goal. Windows are a major source of energy loss, contributing between 20-40% of overall thermal exchange. Addressing this challenge, a team of researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, led by Prof. Shengliang Zhang, has developed a cutting-edge flexible dual-band electrochromic window that integrates energy storage, significantly improving energy efficiency in buildings.

This advanced smart window technology allows precise control over visible light and near-infrared (NIR) radiation, reducing building energy use by up to 20% compared to traditional windows. The innovation is based on a W18O49 nanowire structure, enabling superior optical modulation across both the visible (73.1%) and NIR (85.3%) spectrums. Furthermore, the device demonstrates remarkable durability, retaining 96.7% of its capacity even after 10,000 cycles, and an energy recovery efficiency of 51.4%, where power used during the coloration process is partially reclaimed.

EnergyPlus simulations confirm that this dual-band electrochromic device (DBED) outperforms conventional low-emissivity glass in diverse climate conditions worldwide. By selectively modulating light and heat transmission, it minimizes energy demand for indoor climate control, offering significant energy savings and enhanced thermal comfort.

Beyond its efficiency benefits, the DBED technology is both flexible and scalable, making it suitable for large-scale architectural applications. Researchers have successfully demonstrated that the device can be manufactured in larger formats without sacrificing performance, paving the way for broader adoption in energy-efficient buildings.

Despite these advancements, challenges remain in terms of large-scale manufacturing and cost-effectiveness. Future efforts will focus on improving material stability and integrating this electrochromic technology seamlessly into existing infrastructure. Additionally, optimizing production processes for mass-market deployment could accelerate the adoption of these next-generation smart windows.

This breakthrough in electrochromic technology presents an exciting step toward the future of intelligent architecture. By merging energy efficiency, adaptability, and energy storage capabilities, this innovation could establish new benchmarks for sustainable building solutions, contributing to a more energy-conscious global infrastructure.

Research Report:An Efficient and Flexible Bifunctional Dual-Band Electrochromic Device Integrating with Energy Storage

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Shanghai Jiao Tong University

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