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Nanomaterials
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Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting
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Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Solar Energy and Solar Cells".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2023) | Viewed by 10423

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jia-Yang Juang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: thin films; soft robots; mechanics; biological materials; bioinspired design; shape morphing
Dr. Li Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: photovoltaic technology; energy system; flexible devices; laser-assisted material processing at micro and nano scales

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Renewable energy technologies have attracted much attention over the past decades due to the increasing concern of the global energy crisis and environmental pollution caused by the consumption of nonrenewable fossil energy sources. Unlike fossil energy, renewable energy is sustainable as it is available in the ambient environment in light, mechanical vibrations, heat, and fluid flows and can be harvested into clean electricity. Solar cells are regarded as a promising renewable energy source for large-scale applications. On the other hand, energy harvesting also converts the ambient energy in various forms into electricity, but at much smaller levels of power for applications where batteries are impractical, such as wearable electronics, sensor networks, or devices in inaccessible remote areas. The advances in solar cells and energy harvesting have been enabled by the continuous development of novel nanomaterials and nanofabrication techniques. For example, textured transparent electrodes using nanowires/nanoparticles, co-doping of transparent conductive oxides, plasma treatment, or oblique angle deposition can enhance the optical path length of solar cells, leading to a higher power conversion efficiency. Similarly, energy harvesting devices require the use of piezoelectric materials (mechanical vibrations), thermoelectric materials (heat), or materials with a strong triboelectrification effect (mechanical sliding motion).

This Special Issue will present comprehensive research covering the progress on nanomaterials or nanofabrication techniques for improving the performance of solar cells and energy harvesting devices. It aims to attract academic and industrial researchers to foster the current knowledge of renewable energy and present new ideas for future applications and technologies. We welcome original research articles and review articles.

Prof. Dr. Jia-Yang Juang
Dr. Li Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photovoltaics
  • solar cells
  • energy harvesting
  • nanomaterials
  • nanofabrication
  • nanostructures
  • laser processing
  • piezoelectric energy harvesting
  • thermoelectric power generators (TEGs)
  • triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs)

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3516 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Hazy Ga- and Zr-Co-Doped Zinc Oxide Films Prepared with Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Systems
by Yu-Tang Luo, Zhehan Zhou, Cheng-Yang Wu, Li-Ching Chiu and Jia-Yang Juang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(19), 2691; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13192691 - 1 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 966
Abstract
Co-doped ZnO thin films have attracted much attention in the field of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) in solar cells, displays, and other transparent electronics. Unlike conventional single-doped ZnO, co-doped ZnO utilizes two different dopant elements, offering enhanced electrical properties and more controllable optical [...] Read more.
Co-doped ZnO thin films have attracted much attention in the field of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) in solar cells, displays, and other transparent electronics. Unlike conventional single-doped ZnO, co-doped ZnO utilizes two different dopant elements, offering enhanced electrical properties and more controllable optical properties, including transmittance and haze; however, most previous studies focused on the electrical properties, with less attention paid to obtaining high haze using co-doping. Here, we prepare high-haze Ga- and Zr-co-doped ZnO (GZO:Zr or ZGZO) using atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) systems. We conduct a detailed analysis to examine the interplay between Zr concentrations and film properties. UV-Vis spectroscopy shows a remarkable haze factor increase of 7.19% to 34.8% (+384%) for the films prepared with 2 at% Zr and 8 at% Ga precursor concentrations. EDS analysis reveals Zr accumulation on larger and smaller particles, while SIMS links particle abundance to impurity uptake and altered electrical properties. XPS identifies Zr mainly as ZrO2 because of lattice stress from Zr doping, forming clusters at lattice boundaries and corroborating the SEM findings. Our work presents a new way to fabricate Ga- and Zr-co-doped ZnO for applications that require low electrical resistivity, high visible transparency, and high haze. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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15 pages, 2658 KiB  
Article
High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Fabricated by Slot-Die Coating with Nontoxic Solvents
by Chia-Feng Li, Hung-Che Huang, Shih-Han Huang, Yu-Hung Hsiao, Priyanka Chaudhary, Chun-Yu Chang, Feng-Yu Tsai, Wei-Fang Su and Yu-Ching Huang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(11), 1760; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13111760 - 29 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1853
Abstract
Energy shortage has become a global issue in the twenty-firt century, as energy consumption grows at an alarming rate as the fossil fuel supply exhausts. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a promising photovoltaic technology that has grown quickly in recent years. Its power [...] Read more.
Energy shortage has become a global issue in the twenty-firt century, as energy consumption grows at an alarming rate as the fossil fuel supply exhausts. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a promising photovoltaic technology that has grown quickly in recent years. Its power conversion efficiency (PCE) is comparable to that of traditional silicon-based solar cells, and scale-up costs can be substantially reduced due to its utilization of solution-processable fabrication. Nevertheless, most PSCs research uses hazardous solvents, such as dimethylformamide (DMF) and chlorobenzene (CB), which are not suitable for large-scale ambient operations and industrial production. In this study, we have successfully deposited all of the layers of PSCs, except the top metal electrode, under ambient conditions using a slot-die coating process and nontoxic solvents. The fully slot-die coated PSCs exhibited PCEs of 13.86% and 13.54% in a single device (0.09 cm2) and mini-module (0.75 cm2), respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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13 pages, 3488 KiB  
Article
Antisolvent Engineering to Enhance Photovoltaic Performance of Methylammonium Bismuth Iodide Solar Cells
by Ming-Chung Wu, Ching-Mei Ho, Kai-Chi Hsiao, Shih-Hsuan Chen, Yin-Hsuan Chang and Meng-Huan Jao
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13010059 - 23 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1523
Abstract
High absorption ability and direct bandgap makes lead-based perovskite to acquire high photovoltaic performance. However, lead content in perovskite becomes a double-blade for counterbalancing photovoltaic performance and sustainability. Herein, we develop a methylammonium bismuth iodide (MBI), a perovskite-derivative, to serve as a lead-free [...] Read more.
High absorption ability and direct bandgap makes lead-based perovskite to acquire high photovoltaic performance. However, lead content in perovskite becomes a double-blade for counterbalancing photovoltaic performance and sustainability. Herein, we develop a methylammonium bismuth iodide (MBI), a perovskite-derivative, to serve as a lead-free light absorber layer. Owing to the short carrier diffusion length of MBI, its film quality is a predominant factor to photovoltaic performance. Several candidates of non-polar solvent are discussed in aspect of their dipole moment and boiling point to reveal the effects of anti-solvent assisted crystallization. Through anti-solvent engineering of toluene, the morphology, crystallinity, and element distribution of MBI films are improved compared with those without toluene treatment. The improved morphology and crystallinity of MBI films promote photovoltaic performance over 3.2 times compared with the one without toluene treatment. The photovoltaic device can achieve 0.26% with minor hysteresis effect, whose hysteresis index reduces from 0.374 to 0.169. This study guides a feasible path for developing MBI photovoltaics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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13 pages, 2663 KiB  
Article
The Use of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Tool for the In-Situ Monitoring and Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Aqueous Dispersions
by Aikaterini Gkaravela, Ioanna Vareli, Dimitrios G. Bekas, Nektaria-Marianthi Barkoula and Alkiviadis S. Paipetis
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(24), 4427; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12244427 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1682
Abstract
So far, there is no validated technology for characterizing the dispersion and morphology state of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aqueous dispersions during sonication. Taking advantage of the conductive nature of CNTs, the main hypothesis of the current study is that Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) [...] Read more.
So far, there is no validated technology for characterizing the dispersion and morphology state of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aqueous dispersions during sonication. Taking advantage of the conductive nature of CNTs, the main hypothesis of the current study is that Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is an appropriate technique for the in-situ monitoring and qualification of the dispersion state of CNTs in aqueous media. To confirm our hypothesis, we monitored the Impedance |Z| during the sonication process as a function of type CNTs/admixtures used for the preparation of the aqueous solutions and of crucial process parameters, such as the applied sonication power and duration (i.e., sonication energy). For dispersions above the percolation threshold, a drop of |Z| by approximately seven orders of magnitude was observed, followed by a linear reduction. The dramatic change in |Z| is regarded as an indication of the formation of a conductive path or destruction of an existing one during sonication and can be used to characterize the dispersion and morphology state of CNTs. The results of the EIS provide, straightforwardly and reliably, the required information to create an optimum dispersion protocol for conductive CNT suspensions. The produced dispersions are part of research focusing on the manufacturing of cement-based composite materials with advanced thermoelectric functionalities for energy harvesting. Such dispersions are not only limited to energy harvesting applications but also to applications where functionalities are introduced through the use of conductive-based suspensions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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11 pages, 4288 KiB  
Article
Low-Temperature Processed Brookite Interfacial Modification for Perovskite Solar Cells with Improved Performance
by Jiandong Yang, Jun Wang, Wenshu Yang, Ying Zhu, Shuang Feng, Pengyu Su and Wuyou Fu
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(20), 3653; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203653 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1274
Abstract
The scaffold layer plays an important role in transporting electrons and preventing carrier recombination in mesoporous perovskite solar cells (PSCs), so the engineering of the interface between the scaffold layer and the light absorption layer has attracted widespread concern. In this work, vertically [...] Read more.
The scaffold layer plays an important role in transporting electrons and preventing carrier recombination in mesoporous perovskite solar cells (PSCs), so the engineering of the interface between the scaffold layer and the light absorption layer has attracted widespread concern. In this work, vertically grown TiO2 nanorods (NRs) as scaffold layers are fabricated and further treated with TiCl4 aqueous solution. It can be found that a thin brookite TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) layer is formed by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method on the surface of every rutile NR with a low annealing temperature (150 °C), which is beneficial for the infiltration and growth of perovskite. The PSC based on the TiO2 NR/brookite NP structure shows the best power conversion of 15.2%, which is 56.37% higher than that of the PSC based on bare NRs (9.72%). This complex structure presents an improved pore filling fraction and better carrier transport capability with less trap-assisted carrier recombination. In addition, low-annealing-temperature-formed brookite NPs possess a more suitable edge potential for electrons to transport from the perovskite layer to the electron collection layer when compared with high-annealing-temperature-formed anatase NPs. The brookite phase TiO2 fabricated at a low temperature presents great potential for flexible PSCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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Review

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54 pages, 10594 KiB  
Review
Advancing Thermoelectric Materials: A Comprehensive Review Exploring the Significance of One-Dimensional Nano Structuring
by Mustafa Majid Rashak Al-Fartoos, Anurag Roy, Tapas K. Mallick and Asif Ali Tahir
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(13), 2011; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13132011 - 5 Jul 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2408
Abstract
Amidst the global challenges posed by pollution, escalating energy expenses, and the imminent threat of global warming, the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions has become increasingly imperative. Thermoelectricity, a promising form of green energy, can harness waste heat and directly convert it into [...] Read more.
Amidst the global challenges posed by pollution, escalating energy expenses, and the imminent threat of global warming, the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions has become increasingly imperative. Thermoelectricity, a promising form of green energy, can harness waste heat and directly convert it into electricity. This technology has captivated attention for centuries due to its environmentally friendly characteristics, mechanical stability, versatility in size and substrate, and absence of moving components. Its applications span diverse domains, encompassing heat recovery, cooling, sensing, and operating at low and high temperatures. However, developing thermoelectric materials with high-performance efficiency faces obstacles such as high cost, toxicity, and reliance on rare-earth elements. To address these challenges, this comprehensive review encompasses pivotal aspects of thermoelectricity, including its historical context, fundamental operating principles, cutting-edge materials, and innovative strategies. In particular, the potential of one-dimensional nanostructuring is explored as a promising avenue for advancing thermoelectric technology. The concept of one-dimensional nanostructuring is extensively examined, encompassing various configurations and their impact on the thermoelectric properties of materials. The profound influence of one-dimensional nanostructuring on thermoelectric parameters is also thoroughly discussed. The review also provides a comprehensive overview of large-scale synthesis methods for one-dimensional thermoelectric materials, delving into the measurement of thermoelectric properties specific to such materials. Finally, the review concludes by outlining prospects and identifying potential directions for further advancements in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and Nanofabrication for Solar Cells and Energy Harvesting)
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