Highly Efficient Power Conversion from Salinity Gradients with Ion-Selective Polymeric Nanopores

A polymeric nanopore membrane with selective ionic transport has been proposed as a potential device to convert the chemical potential energy in salinity gradients to electrical power. However, its energy conversion efficiency and power density are often limited due to the challenge in reliably controlling the size of the nanopores with the conventional chemical etching method. Here we report that without chemical etching, polyimide （PI） membranes irradiated with GeV heavy ions have negatively charged nanopores, showing nearly perfect selectivity for cations over anions, and they can generate electrical power from salinity gradients. We further demonstrate that the power generation efficiency of the PI membrane approaches the theoretical limit, and the maximum power density reaches 130m W/m2 with a modified etching method, outperforming the previous energy conversion device that was made of polymeric nanopore membranes.

Regulation of Power Conversion in Fuel Cells

Here we report a regulation about power conversion in fuel cells. This regulation is expressed as that total power produced by fuel cells is always proportional to the square of the potential difference between the \{equilibrium\} potential and work potential. With this regulation we deduced fuel cell performance equation which can describe the potential vs.the current performance curves, namely, polarization curves of fuel cells with three power source parameters: equilibrium potential E_0; internal resistance R; and power conversion coefficient K. The concept of the power conversion coefficient is a new criterion to evaluate and compare the characteristics and capacity of different fuel cells. The calculated values obtained with this equation agree with practical performance of different types of fuel cells.

Optimal oxide-aperture for improving the power conversion efficiency of VCSEL arrays

The maximum power conversion efficiencies of the top-emitting,oxide-confined,two-dimensional integrated 2×2 and4×4 vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser（VCSEL） arrays with the oxide-apertures of 6 μm,16 μm,19 μm,26 μm,29 μm,36 μm,39 μm,and 46 urn are fabricated and characterized,respectively.The maximum power conversion efficiencies increase rapidly with the augment of oxide-aperture at the beginning and then decrease slowly.A maximum value of27.91%at an oxide-aperture of 18.6 μm is achieved by simulation.The experimental data are well consistent with the simulation results,which are analyzed by utilizing an empirical model.

An Adaptive Wireless Power Sharing Control for Multiterminal HVDC

Power sharing among multiterminal high voltage direct current terminals(MT-HVDC)is mainly developed based on a priority or sequential manners,which uses to prevent the problem of overloading due to a predefined controller coefficient.Furthermore,fixed power sharing control also suffers from an inability to identify power availability at a rectification station.There is a need for a controller that ensures an efficient power sharing among the MT-HVDC terminals,prevents the possibility of overloading,and utilizes the available power sharing.A new adaptive wireless control for active power sharing among multiterminal(MT-HVDC)systems,including power availability and power management policy,is proposed in this paper.The proposed control strategy solves these issues and,this proposed controller strategy is a generic method that can be applied for unlimited number of converter stations.The rational of this proposed controller is to increase the system reliability by avoiding the necessity of fast communication links.The test system in this paper consists of four converter stations based on three phase-two AC voltage levels.The proposed control strategy for a multiterminal HVDC system is conducted in the power systems computer aided design/electromagnetic transient design and control(PSCAD/EMTDC)simulation environment.The simulation results significantly show the flexibility and usefulness of the proposed power sharing control provided by the new adaptive wireless method.

Enhancing the crystallinity and stability of perovskite solar cells with 4-tert-butylpyridine induction for efficiency exceeding 24%

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology because of their high light absorption coefficient,long carrier diffusion distance,and tunable bandgap.However,PSCs face challenges such as hysteresis effects and stability issues.In this study,we introduced a novel approach to improve film crystallization by leveraging 4-tert-butylpyridine(TBP)molecules,thereby enhancing the performance and stability of PSCs.Our findings demonstrate the effective removal of PbI_(2)from the perovskite surface through strong coordination with TBP molecules.Additionally,by carefully adjusting the concentration of the TBP solution,we achieved enhanced film crystallinity without disrupting the perovskite structure.The TBP-treated perovskite films exhibit a low defect density,improved crystallinity,and improved carrier lifetime.As a result,the PSCs manufactured with TBP treatment achieve power conversion efficiency(PCE)exceeding 24%.Moreover,we obtained the PCE of 21.39%for the 12.25 cm^(2)module.

Application of Single-to-Single Phase Matrix Conversion in Conventional Rectifier-Inverter

The principle of single to single phase matrix electric power conversioin is further studied and the conversioin switch function is introduced into conventional rectifier inverter, thus a general character of the two conversion techniques is discovered. It is characteristic of the switch functiion to follow mains voltage distortion and mains frequency drift. By utilizing the merit, unidirectional switch duty rations of the inverter follow the variation of DC link voltage automatically, thus the size of DC link electrolytic capacitor can be reduced considerably, bringing about improved mains side power factor. Corresponding topologies and theoretical and theoretical derivations are given, and so are the simulation results, based on which it is confirmed that the single to single phase matrix conversion technique is potentially useful in large scale production, and the introduction of switch function can yield good economic returns.

Layered-stacking of titania films for solar energy conversion:Toward tailored optical,electronic and photovoltaic performance

Nanostructured TiO2 with differentiate morphologies has attracted tremendous attention due to its wide band-gap nature as well as outstanding optical and electric properties for solar-driven light-toelectricity conversion application. Layered-stacking TiO2 film such as double-layer, tri-layer, quadrupleor quintuplicate-layer, is highly desirable to the design of high-performance semiconductor material photoanodes and the development of advanced photovoltaic devices. In this minireview, we will summarize the recent progress and achievements on proof-of-concept of layered-stacking TiO2 films（LTFs） for solar cells with emphasis on the tailored properties and synergistic functionalization of LTFs, such as optimized sensitizer adsorption, broadened light confinement as well as facilitated electron transport characteristics.Various demonstrations of LTFs photovoltaic systems provide lots of possibilities and flexibilities for more efficient solar energy utilization that a wide variety of TiO2 with distinguished morphologies can be integrated into differently structured photoanodes with synergistic and complementary advantages. This key structure engineering technology will also pave the way for the development of next generation state-ofthe-art electronics and optoelectronics. Finally, from our point of view, we conclude the future research interest and efforts for constructing more efficient LTFs as photoelectrode, which will be highly warranted to advance the solar energy conversion process.

Analysis of Power Model for Linear Plasma Device

A single cathode linear plasma device has been designed and constructed to investigate the interactions between plasma and materials at the Sichuan University. In order to further investigate the Ohmic power of the device, the output heat load on the specimen and electric potential difference（between cathode and anode） have been tested under different discharge currents. This special power distribution in the radial direction of the plasma discharge channel has also been discussed and described by some improved integral equations in this paper;it can be further simplified as P ∝ α^（-2） in one-parameter. Besides, we have measured the power loss of the channel under different discharge currents by the calorimetric method, calculated the effective power of the device and evaluated the performances of the plasma device through the power efficiency analysis.

A new perspective to develop regiorandom polymer acceptors with high active layer ductility,excellent device stability,and high efficiency approaching 17%

The recently reported efficient polymerized small-molecule acceptors(PSMAs)usually adopt a regioregular backbone by polymerizing small-molecule acceptors precursors with a low-reactivity 5-brominated 3-(dicyanomethylidene)indan-1-one(IC)end group or its derivatives,leading to low molecular weight,and thus reduce active layer mechanical properties.Herein,a series of newly designed chlorinated PSMAs originating from isomeric IC end groups are developed by adjusting chlorinated positions and copolymerized sites on end groups to achieve high molecular weight,favorable intermolecular interaction,and improved physicochemical properties.Compared with regioregular PY2Se-Cl-o and PY2Se-Cl-m,regiorandom PY2Se-Cl-ran has a similar absorption profile,moderate lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level,and favorable intermolecular packing and crystallization properties.Moreover,the binary PM6:PY2Se-Cl-ran blend achieves better ductility with a crack-onset strain of 17.5% and improved power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 16.23% in all-polymer solar cells(all-PSCs)due to the higher molecular weight of PY2Se-Cl-ran and optimized blend morphology,while the ternary PM6:J71:PY2Se-Cl-ran blend offers an impressive PCE approaching 17% and excellent device stability,which are all crucial for potential practical applications of all-PSCs in wearable electronics.To date,the efficiency of 16.86% is the highest value reported for the regiorandom PSMAs-based all-PSCs and is also one of the best values reported for the all-PSCs.Our work provides a new perspective to develop efficient all-PSCs,with all high active layer ductility,impressive PCE,and excellent device stability,towards practical applications.

Predicting the device performance of the perovskite solar cells from the experimental parameters through machine learning of existing experimental results

The performance of the metal halide perovskite solar cells(PSCs)highly relies on the experimental parameters,including the fabrication processes and the compositions of the perovskites;tremendous experimental work has been done to optimize these factors.However,predicting the device performance of the PSCs from the fabrication parameters before experiments is still challenging.Herein,we bridge this gap by machine learning(ML)based on a dataset including 1072 devices from peer-reviewed publications.The optimized ML model accurately predicts the PCE from the experimental parameters with a root mean square error of 1.28%and a Pearson coefficientr of 0.768.Moreover,the factors governing the device performance are ranked by shapley additive explanations(SHAP),among which,A-site cation is crucial to getting highly efficient PSCs.Experiments and density functional theory calculations are employed to validate and help explain the predicting results by the ML model.Our work reveals the feasibility of ML in predicting the device performance from the experimental parameters before experiments,which enables the reverse experimental design toward highly efficient PSCs.

Beyond two-dimension: One-and zero-dimensional halide perovskites as new-generation passivators for high-performance perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs) as a rising star in the photovoltaic field have received rapidly increasing attention recently due to the boosting power conversion efficiencies(PCEs) from 3.8% to 25.7% in the last13 years. Nevertheless, the conventional PSCs with three-dimensional(3D) halide perovskites as light absorbers suffer from inferior PCEs and poor durability under sunlight, high-temperature and humid conditions due to the high defect amount and structural instability of 3D perovskites, respectively. To tackle these crucial issues, lower-dimensional halide perovskites including zero-dimensional(0D), onedimensional(1D), and two-dimensional(2D) perovskites have been employed as efficient passivators to boost the PCEs and durability of 3D-PSCs due to the high structural stability and superior resistance against moisture, heat and sunlight. Therefore, in order to achieve better understanding about the advantages and superiorities of combining low-dimensional perovskites with their 3D counterparts in improving the PCEs and durability of 3D-PSCs, the recent advances in the development and fabrication of mixeddimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites as passivators are summarized and discussed in the review.The superiority of 1D/0D perovskites as passivators over 2D counterparts, the passivation mechanism and the methods of 1D/0D perovskites are also presented and discussed. Furthermore, the rules to choose1D/0D perovskites or relevant spacer cations are also emphasized. On this basis, several specific strategies to design and fabricate mixed-dimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites are presented and discussed.Finally, the crucial challenges and future research directions of mixed-dimensional PSCs with 1D/0D perovskites as passivators are also proposed and discussed. This review will provide some useful insights for the future development of high-efficiency and durable mixed-dimensional PSCs.

P-doped all-small-molecule organic solar cells with power conversion efficiency of 17.73%

All-small organic solar cells(ASM OSCs)inherit the advantages of the distinct merits of small molecules,such as well-defined structures and less batch-to-batch variation.In comparison with the rapid development of polymer-based OSCs,more efforts are needed to devote to improving the performance of ASM OSCs to close the performance gap between ASM and polymer-based OSCs.Herein,a well-known p-dopant named fluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane(FTCNQ)was introduced to a highefficiency system of HD-1:BTP-e C9,and a high power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 17.15%was achieved due to the improved electrical properties as well as better morphology of the active layer,supported by the observed higher fill factor(FF)of 79.45%and suppressed non-radiative recombination loss.Furthermore,combining with the further morphology optimization from solvent additive of 1-iodonaphthalene(IN)in the blend film,the HD-1:BTP-e C9-based device with the synergistic effects of both FTCNQ and IN demonstrates a remarkable PCE of 17.73%(certified as 17.49%),representing the best result of binary ASM OSCs to date.

Machine learning enables intelligent screening of interface materials towards minimizing voltage losses for p-i-n type perovskite solar cells

Interface engineering is proved to be the most important strategy to push the device performance of the perovskite solar cell(PSC) to its limit, and numerous works have been conducted to screen efficient materials. Here, on the basis of the previous studies, we employ machine learning to map the relationship between the interface material and the device performance, leading to intelligently screening interface materials towards minimizing voltage losses in p-i-n type PSCs. To enhance the explainability of the machine learning models, molecular descriptors are used to represent the materials. Furthermore,experimental analysis with different characterization methods and device simulation based on the drift-diffusion physical model are conducted to get physical insights and validate the machine learning models. Accordingly, 3-thiophene ethylamine hydrochloride(Th EACl) is screened as an example, which enables remarkable improvements in VOCand PCE of the PSCs. Our work reveals the critical role of datadriven analysis in the high throughput screening of interface materials, which will significantly accelerate the exploration of new materials for high-efficiency PSCs.

Non-Fullerene-Based Inverted Organic Photovoltaic Device with Long-Term Stability

In this work,we developed the PM6:Y6-based inverted structure organic photovoltaic(i-OPV)with improved power conversion efficiency(PCE)and long-term stability by resolving the origins of the performance deterioration.The deep defects between the metal oxide-based electron transport layer and bulk-heterojunction photoactive layer interface were responsible for suboptimal PCE and facilitated degradation of devices.While the density of deep traps is increased during the storage of i-OPV,the penetrative oxygen-containing defects additionally generated shallow traps below the band-edge of Y6,causing an additional loss in the open-circuit voltage.The suppression of interfacial defects by chemical modification effectively improved the PCE and long-term stability of i-OPV.The modified i-OPV(mi-OPV)achieved a PCE of 17.42%,which is the highest value among the reported PM6:Y6-based i-OPV devices.Moreover,long-term stability was significantly improved:~90%and~80%retention of its initial PCE after 1200 h of air storage and illumination,respectively.

Efficiency Performances of LVDC Supplies for Residential Building

The Low Voltage Direct Current(LVDC)architecture gives higher benefits over the classic low-voltage alternating current(LVAC)supply concept.LVDC has fewer energy conversion stages,is compatible with renewable energy sources,and is easier to integrate with accumulators.In this paper,an LVDC supply concept is proposed and compared with currently used conventional photovoltaic(PV)systems in terms of efficiency.The new LVDC photovoltaic system behavior is validated using LTspice modeling tool.The findings of this work prove that the concept of LVDC supply is highly attractive when the electricity produced by the photovoltaic is used onsite in the daytime.To carry out an efficient system,the PV power mounted in the houses should be precisely rated with respect to the magnitude of the load energy consumption.We proposed three house examples to verify the superiority of our proposed system in comparison with the traditional LVDC PV chain.An annual analysis of the energy saved by the studied systems was carried out.The main benefit of the suggested LVDC supply is the short way taken by the energy generated by the photovoltaic system to supply DC loads within daytime hours.The registered increase in system efficiency reached more than 20%for the proposed LVDC system.

Ternary organic solar cells offer 14% power conversion efficiency

Organic solar cells(OSCs)have advantages like light-weight,flexibility,colorfulness and solution processability[1].The active layer of OSCs generally contains two organic semiconductors:an electron donor and an electron acceptor.The donor and acceptor make nanoscale phase separation to allow efficient exciton dissociation and also form a three-dimensional(3D)passage to

Review of current progress in hole-transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

Recent advancements in perovskites’ application as a solar energy harvester have been astonishing. The power conversion efficiency(PCE) of perovskite solar cells(PSCs) is currently reaching parity(>25 percent), an accomplishment attained over past decades. PSCs are seen as perovskites sandwiched between an electron transporting material(ETM) and a hole transporting material(HTM). As a primary component of PSCs, HTM has been shown to have a considerable effect on solar energy harvesting, carrier extraction and transport, crystallization of perovskite, stability, and price. In PSCs, it is still necessary to use a HTM.While perovskites are capable of conducting holes, they are present in trace amounts, necessitating the use of an HTM layer for efficient charge extraction. In this review, we provide an understanding of the significant forms of HTM accessible(inorganic, polymeric and small molecule-based HTMs), to motivate further research and development of such materials. The identification of additional criteria suggests a significant challenge to high stability and affordability in PSC.

Cation engineering on lead iodide perovskites for stable and high-performance photovoltaic applications

Perovskite solar cells （PSCs） based on methylammonium lead iodide （CH3NH3PbI3） have shown unprecedentedly outstanding performance in the recent years. Nevertheless, due to the weak interaction between polar CH3NH3＋ （MA＋） and inorganic PbI3 sublattices, CH3NH3PbI3 dramatically suffers from poor moisture stability, thermal decomposition and device hysteresis. As such, strong electrostatic interactions between cations and anionic frameworks are desired for synergistic improvements of the abovementioned issues. While replacements of I with Br and/or CI evidently widen optical bandgaps of perovskite materials, compositional modifications can solely be applied on cation components in order to preserve the broad absorption of solar spectrum. Herein, we review the current successful practices in achieving efficient, stable and minimally hysteretic PSCs with lead iodide perovskite systems that employ photoactive cesium lead iodide （CsPbI3）, formamidinium lead iodide （HC（NH2）2PbI3, or FAPbI3）, MA1-x y-zFAxCsyRbzPbI3 mixed-cation settings as well as two-dimensional butylammonium （C4H9NH3＋, or BA＋）/MA＋, polymeric ammonium （PEI＋）/MA＋ co-cation layered structures. Fundamental aspects behind the stabilization of perovskite phases α-CsPbi3, α-FAPbI3, mixed-cation MA1-x-y-zFAxCsyRb2PbI3 and crystallographic alignment of （BA）2（MA）3Pb4I13 for effective light absorption and charge transport will be discussed. This review will contribute to the continuous development of photovoltaic technology based on PSCs.

The roles of black phosphorus in performance enhancement of halide perovskite solar cells

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells(PSCs) are considered to be the most promising thirdgeneration photovoltaic(PV) technology with the most rapid rate of increase in the power conversion efficiency(PCE). To date, their PCE values are comparable to the established photovoltaic technologies such as crystalline silicon. Intensive research activities associated with PSCs have been being performed,since 2009, aiming to further boost the device performance in terms of efficiency and stability via different strategies in order to accelerate the progress of commercialization. The emerging 2 D black phosphorus(BP) is a novel class of semiconducting material owing to its unique characteristics, allowing them to become attractive materials for applications in a variety of optical and electronic devices, which have been comprehensively reviewed in the literature. However, comprehensive reviews focusing on the application of BP in PSCs are scarce in the community. This review discusses the research works with the incorporation of BP as a functional material in PSCs. The methodology as well as the effects of employing BP in different regions of PSCs are summarized. Further challenges and potential research directions are also highlighted.

Novel polymer acceptors achieving 10.18% efficiency for all-polymer solar cells

Polymer acceptors based on extended fused ring p skeleton has been proven to be promising candidates for all-polymer solar cells(all-PSCs), due to their remarkable improved light absorption than the traditional imide-based polymer acceptors. To expand structural diversity of the polymer acceptors, herein,two polymer acceptors PSF-IDIC and PSi-IDIC with extended fused ring p skeleton are developed by copolymerization of 2,20-((2 Z,20 Z)-((4,4,9,9-tetrahexadecyl-4,9-dihydro-s-indaceno [1,2-b:5,6-b']dithio phene-2,7-diyl)bis(methanylylidene))bis(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1 H-indene-2,1-diylidene))dimalononitrile(IDIC-C16) block with sulfur(S) and fluorine(F) functionalized benzodithiophene(BDT) unit and silicon(Si) atom functionalized BDT unit, respectively. Both polymer acceptors exhibit strong light absorption.The PSF-IDIC exhibits similar energy levels and slightly higher absorption coefficient relative to the PSi-IDIC. After blended with the donor polymer PM6, the functional atoms on the polymer acceptors show quite different effect on the device performance. Both of the acceptors deliver a notably high open circuit voltage(V_(OC)) of the devices, but PSi-IDIC achieves higher V OCthan PSF-IDIC. All-PSC based on PM6:PSi-IDIC attains a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 8.29%, while PM6:PSF-IDIC-based device achieves a much higher PCE of 10.18%, which is one of the highest values for the all-PSCs reported so far. The superior device performance of PM6:PSF-IDIC is attributed to its higher exciton dissociation and charge transport, decreased charge recombination, and optimized morphology than PM6:PSi-IDIC counterpart. These results suggest that optimizing the functional atoms of the side chain provide an effective strategy to develop high performance polymer acceptors for all-PSCs.