Engineered charge transport layers for improving indoor perovskite photovoltaic performance

Solar RRL

Organic–inorganic halide perovskite semiconductors have revolutionized next‐generation photovoltaics (PV) due to several characteristics such as solution‐processability, gap tunability, and excellent charge generation and transport properties. This has made them very adaptable for various applications in light harvesting and photodetection. One such rapidly growing application is indoor photovoltaics (IPV) which have the potential to power standalone Internet of Things devices. IPV requires wider optimal bandgaps than solar cells (1.8 vs 1.3 eV) due to the differences between the spectra of artificial lights versus solar radiation. For IPV applications, the active layer wide‐gap perovskite must be developed systemically considering all other components of the device, such as interlayers, electrodes, and scaling. This perspective provides an overview of the potential and challenges facing perovskite‐based IPV …

Advanced Engineering Materials

The carrier transport and the exciton recombination region, which are strongly affected by temperature, are essential to organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) under thermal stress. We selected different charge carrier transport materials with different glass transition temperature (Tg) to investigate their effect on the thermal stability of OLEDs. By calculating the carrier mobility at different annealing temperatures and comparing the simulated values by the Arrhenius equation, the effect of the thermal stress on the performance of OLEDs was analyzed. Then, using the luminescent dye as a probe adjacent to the emitting layer and charge transporting layer to identify the exciton recombination region at different temperatures and driving voltages, it was revealed that replacing the functional material with low Tg with a high‐Tg one could effectively increase the thermal stability of the device to 100°C. The optimized devices …

Journal of Physics: Energy

For commercial applications, Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) need to be well encapsulated to improve long term stability. The most common method, glass-glass encapsulation, uses edge sealant materials to encapsulate the device between sheets of glass. Glass-Glassencapsulation, while providing provide adequate protection from the ambient environment, limits the use of flexible substrates for thin film solar cells due to its rigidity. Additionally, the added weight of glass encapsulation reduces the specific power (W/kg) of PSCs, which is an important factor when designing solar cells for aerospace applications. Here we demonstrate that commercially available acrylic spray encapsulation offers efficient and robust stability for PSCs. It is shown that applying the encapsulation via this method does not degrade the PSCs, unlike other literature and glass-glass encapsulation methods. Additionaly, it is shown that 1 coat …

Advanced Functional Materials

Two dimensional/three‐dimensional (2D/3D) metal halide perovskite heterostructures have attracted great interest in photovoltaic and light‐emitting diode (LEDs) applications. In both, their implementation results in an improvement in device efficiency yet the understanding of these heterostructures remains incomplete. In this work the role of organic cations, essential for the formation of 2D perovskite structures is unraveled, in a range of metal halide perovskite heterostructures. These heterostructures are used to fabricate efficient green perovskite LEDs and a strong dependence between cation content and device performance is shown. The crystal structure, charge‐carrier transport and dynamics, and the electronic structure of these heterostructures are studied and it is shown that the presence of crystalline 2D perovskite inhibits electron injection and ultimately lowers device performance. This work highlights the …

Advanced Materials

All‐perovskite tandem solar cells show great potential to enable the highest performance at reasonable costs for a viable market entry in the near future. In particular, wide‐bandgap (WBG) perovskites with higher open‐circuit voltage (VOC) are essential to further improve the tandem solar cells’ performance. Here, a new 1.8 eV bandgap triple‐halide perovskite composition in conjunction with a piperazinium iodide (PI) surface treatment is developed. With structural analysis, it is found that the PI modifies the surface through a reduction of excess lead iodide in the perovskite and additionally penetrates the bulk. Constant light‐induced magneto‐transport measurements are applied to separately resolve charge carrier properties of electrons and holes. These measurements reveal a reduced deep trap state density, and improved steady‐state carrier lifetime (factor 2.6) and diffusion lengths (factor 1.6). As a result, WBG …

All-perovskite tandem solar cells are attracting considerable interest in photovoltaics research, owing to their potential to surpass the theoretical efficiency limit of single-junction cells, in a cost-effective sustainable manner. Thanks to the bandgap-bowing effect, mixed tin−lead (Sn−Pb) perovskites possess a close to ideal narrow bandgap for constructing tandem cells, matched with wide-bandgap neat lead-based counterparts. The performance of all-perovskite tandems, however, has yet to reach its efficiency potential. One of the main obstacles that need to be overcome is the─oftentimes─low quality of the mixed Sn−Pb perovskite films, largely caused by the facile oxidation of Sn(II) to Sn(IV), as well as the difficult-to-control film crystallization dynamics. Additional detrimental imperfections are introduced in the perovskite thin film, particularly at its vulnerable surfaces, including the top and bottom interfaces as well …

Nature Energy

The presence of mobile ions in metal halide perovskites has been shown to adversely affect the intrinsic stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the actual contribution of mobile ions to the total degradation loss compared with other factors such as trap-assisted recombination remains poorly understood. Here we reveal that mobile ion-induced internal field screening is the dominant factor in the degradation of PSCs under operational conditions. The increased field screening leads to a decrease in the steady-state efficiency, often owing to a large reduction in the current density. Instead, the efficiency at high scan speeds (>1,000 V s−1), where the ions are immobilized, is much less affected. We also show that the bulk and interface quality do not degrade upon ageing, yet the open-circuit voltage decreases owing to an increase in the mobile ion density. This work reveals the importance of ionic losses for …

Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research

Through continued innovation in material design and device engineering, rapid performance improvements have been achieved for organic photovoltaics (OPVs) over the past 20 years. Outdoor performances of over 18% have now been demonstrated for binary OPVs for 1 sun applications, approaching that of silicon photovoltaics.[1] The interest in OPVs for indoor applications has also attracted significant interest in recent years, where photovoltaic performances of over 31% have been achieved, exceeding those obtained for silicon photovoltaics.[2, 3] Using OPVs for indoor light harvesting has the potential to provide power for a range of low power electronics, such as sensors, and data transmitters as part of the internet of things. Compared to the solar spectrum, the emission spectra of indoor light sources tend to be located in the visible region of the light spectrum (around 390–760nm). This overlaps well with the …

Materials Advances

Printable mesoscopic carbon perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) are cited as a potential frontrunner to commercialisation, as they are fabricated using low-cost screen printing. CPSCs produced using different perovskite precursor solvents benefit from different post-treatments. For example, cells made with DMF/DMSO precursors improve with light exposure, whereas γ-butyrolactone cells require humidity exposure for peak performance. Understanding the evolution of devices fabricated using different systems is therefore key to maximising PCE. This work examines the performance evolution of CPSCs and modules fabricated with low toxicity γ-valerolactone based precursors. It is found that PCE improves independently of humidity or light exposure due to gradual residual solvent loss and associated crystal realignment in the days following fabrication. In 1cm2 cells significant Voc and FF produced an average increase …

Advanced Science

Surface defects of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) substantially compromise the optoelectronic performances of the materials and devices via undesired charge recombination. However, those defects, mainly the vacancies, are structurally entangled with each other in the PNC lattice, necessitating a delicately designed strategy for effective passivation. Here, a synergistic metal ion doping and surface ligand exchange strategy is proposed to passivate the surface defects of CsPbBr3 PNCs with various divalent metal (e.g., Cd2+, Zn2+, and Hg2+) acetate salts and didodecyldimethylammonium (DDA+) via one‐step post‐treatment. The addition of metal acetate salts to PNCs is demonstrated to suppress the defect formation energy effectively via the ab initio calculations. The developed PNCs not only have near‐unity photoluminescence quantum yield and excellent stability but also show luminance of …

Solar RRL

Organic–inorganic halide perovskite semiconductors have revolutionized next‐generation photovoltaics (PV) due to several characteristics such as solution‐processability, gap tunability, and excellent charge generation and transport properties. This has made them very adaptable for various applications in light harvesting and photodetection. One such rapidly growing application is indoor photovoltaics (IPV) which have the potential to power standalone Internet of Things devices. IPV requires wider optimal bandgaps than solar cells (1.8 vs 1.3 eV) due to the differences between the spectra of artificial lights versus solar radiation. For IPV applications, the active layer wide‐gap perovskite must be developed systemically considering all other components of the device, such as interlayers, electrodes, and scaling. This perspective provides an overview of the potential and challenges facing perovskite‐based IPV …

Advanced Energy Materials

Quaternary copper‐silver‐bismuth‐iodide compounds represent a promising new class of wide‐bandgap (2 eV) semiconductors for photovoltaic and photodetector applications. In this study, vapor phase co‐evaporation is utilized to fabricate Cu2AgBiI6 thin films and photovoltaic devices. The findings show that the properties of vapor‐deposited films are highly dependent upon processing temperature, exhibiting increased pinhole density and transforming into a mixture of quaternary, binary, and metallic phases depending on the post‐deposition annealing temperature. This change in phase is accompanied by an enhancement in photoluminescence (PL) intensity and charge‐carrier lifetime, along with the emergence of an additional absorption peak at high energy (≈3 eV). Generally, increased PL is a desirable property for a solar absorber material, but this change in PL is ascribed to the formation of CuI impurity …

The European Physical Journal Plus

Here, a transparent luminescent down-conversion material (DCM) of NaYF4:Pr3+@NaYF4:Eu3+ core@shell nanoparticles has been used for OSCs application. The core@shell nanoparticles were prepared via a chemical sol–gel process. In OSCs, the prepared DCM is coated at backside of indium-doped tin oxide glass substrate, and the final device is called optimized device; whereas, the uncoated device is defined as control device. The power conversion efficiency of optimized device improved from 7.95 to 8.45%, as a result of the DCM re-emitting ultraviolet light in the visible range. Most importantly, the control device had inadequate stability under UV-B light, and within 90 min, efficiency has decreased by 38%. However, optimized device shows significantly superior performance by maintaining 84% of its initial PCE even after 90 min. It has been suggested that the NaYF4:Pr3+@NaYF4:Eu3+ DCM minimizes …

Journal of Materials Chemistry C

Near-infrared organic photodetectors (OPDs) have great potential in many applications. However, the high dark current of many OPD devices tends to limit their specific detectivity and overall performance. Here we report a novel non-fullerene acceptor (IDSe) based on an alkylated indacenodiselenophene core, with extended light absorption up to 800 nm. When blended with the donor polymer PTQ10, we obtained OPD devices with an exceptionally low dark current density of 1.65 nA cm−2 at −2 V, high responsivity and specific detectivity exceeding 1012 Jones at 790 nm. The superior properties of PTQ10:IDSe devices are related to the higher and more balanced charge carrier mobility compared to the analogous thiophene based blend (PTQ10:IDIC). We also demonstrate large area PTQ10:IDSe based devices by doctor blade in air with a record low dark current of 1.2 × 10−7 A cm−2 under −2 V bias.

Nature Energy

Monolithic all-perovskite triple-junction solar cells have the potential to deliver power conversion efficiencies beyond those of state-of-art double-junction tandems and well beyond the detailed-balance limit for single junctions. Today, however, their performance is limited by large deficits in open-circuit voltage and unfulfilled potential in both short-circuit current density and fill factor in the wide-bandgap perovskite sub cell. Here we find that halide heterogeneity—present even immediately following materials synthesis—plays a key role in interfacial non-radiative recombination and collection efficiency losses under prolonged illumination for Br-rich perovskites. We find that a diammonium halide salt, propane-1,3-diammonium iodide, introduced during film fabrication, improves halide homogenization in Br-rich perovskites, leading to enhanced operating stability and a record open-circuit voltage of 1.44 V in an …

Advanced Functional Materials

Metal halide perovskites are promising light absorbers for multijunction photovoltaic applications because of their remarkable bandgap tunability, achieved through compositional mixing on the halide site. However, poor energy‐level alignment at the interface between wide‐bandgap mixed‐halide perovskites and charge‐extraction layers still causes significant losses in solar‐cell performance. Here, the origin of such losses is investigated, focusing on the energy‐level misalignment between the valence band maximum and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) for a commonly employed combination, FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I1‐xBrx)3 with bromide content x ranging from 0 to 1, and poly[bis(4‐phenyl)(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA). A combination of time‐resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy and numerical modeling of charge‐carrier dynamics reveals that open‐circuit voltage (VOC) losses …

Journal of Materials Chemistry A

The ability to characterise perovskite phases non-destructively is key on the route to ensuring their long-term stability in operando. Raman spectroscopy holds the promise to play an important role in this task. Among all perovskites, formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) has emerged as one of the most promising candidates for single-junction photovoltaic cells. However, Raman spectroscopy of FAPbI3 remains challenging as is evidenced by conflicting reports in the literature. Here, we demonstrate that due to the vulnerability of FAPbI3 to laser-induced degradation, the detected Raman spectrum depends strongly on the experimental conditions. This can lead to conflicting results and is revealed as the origin of discrepancies in the literature. We overcome this issue by deploying defocused Raman spectroscopy, preventing laser-induced damage to the sample and simultaneously improving the signal-to-noise ratio …

Journal of Physics: Energy

The building sector accounts for 36% of energy consumption and 39% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions. Integrating bifacial photovoltaic solar cells in buildings could significantly reduce energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions. Bifacial solar cells should be flexible, bifacially balanced for electricity production, and perform reasonably well under weak-light conditions. Using rigorous optoelectronic simulation software and the differential evolution algorithm, we optimized symmetric/asymmetric bifacial CIGS solar cells with either (i) homogeneous or (ii) graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers and a flexible central contact layer of aluminum-doped zinc oxide to harvest light outdoors as well as indoors. Indoor light was modeled as a fraction of the standard sunlight. Also, we computed the weak-light responses of the CIGS solar cells using LED illumination of different light intensities …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Climate change and the increasing demand for energy globally have motivated the search for a more sustainable heat-pumping technology. Magnetic refrigeration stands as one of the most promising alternative technologies for clean and efficient heat pumps of the future. The rotating magnetocaloric effect (RMCE) has previously been studied in materials with magnetocrystalline anisotropy due to its potential to improve devices by requiring only a single magnetic field region, but these materials are fragile and costly to obtain, making them inviable for applications. It has been shown that by exploiting the demagnetizing effect, an RMCE is, in fact, attainable in any polycrystalline magnetocaloric sample with an asymmetric shape, without requiring magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Using gadolinium as a case study, we provide a theoretical framework for computing the demagnetizing field-based RMCE and present …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Low-toxicity solar concentrator systems represent an important challenge for outstanding photovoltaic (PV) applications. Particularly, multiplexed holographic lenses (MHL) as Holographic Solar Concentrators (HSC) provide insight into promising possibilities for Building-Integrated Concentrating PVs. This technology does not affect crucial ecosystems, and can convert buildings from energy consumers into energy suppliers. They can be used in windows, roofs, or walls, and a high diffraction efficiency and wide acceptance angle are desired. In this work, we presented several designs of MHL of low spatial frequency 525 lines mm− 1, based on a low-toxicity photopolymer and supported on a window glass. The average diffraction efficiency of these HSC was evaluated at 633 nm, whereas the acceptance angle was evaluated by measuring the short-circuit current under solar illumination at different incident angles …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Additive manufacturing of solid-state batteries is advantageous for improving the power density by increasing the geometric complexity of battery components, such as electrodes and electrolytes. In the present study, bulk three-dimensional Li1+ xAlxTi2-x (PO4) 3 (LATP) electrolyte samples were prepared using the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing method.

Journal of Physics: Energy

Battery technologies based in multivalent charge carriers with ideally two or three electrons transferred per ion exchanged between the electrodes have large promises in raw performance numbers, most often expressed as high energy density, and are also ideally based on raw materials that are widely abundant and less expensive. Yet, these are still globally in their infancy, with some concepts (e.g., Mg metal) being more technologically mature. The challenges to address are derived on one side from the highly polarizing nature of multivalent ions when compared to single valent concepts such as Li+ or Na+ present in Li-ion or Na-ion batteries, and on the other, from the difficulties in achieving efficient metal plating/stripping (which remains the holy grail for lithium). Nonetheless, research performed to date has given some fruits and a clearer view of the challenges ahead. These include technological topics …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Climate change and the increasing demand for energy globally have motivated the search for a more sustainable heat-pumping technology. Magnetic refrigeration stands as one of the most promising alternative technologies for clean and efficient heat pumps of the future. The rotating magnetocaloric effect (RMCE) has previously been studied in materials with magnetocrystalline anisotropy due to its potential to improve devices by requiring only a single magnetic field region, but these materials are fragile and costly to obtain, making them inviable for applications. It has been shown that by exploiting the demagnetizing effect, an RMCE is, in fact, attainable in any polycrystalline magnetocaloric sample with an asymmetric shape, without requiring magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Using gadolinium as a case study, we provide a theoretical framework for computing the demagnetizing field-based RMCE and present …

Journal of Physics: Energy

For commercial applications, Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) need to be well encapsulated to improve long term stability. The most common method, glass-glass encapsulation, uses edge sealant materials to encapsulate the device between sheets of glass. Glass-Glassencapsulation, while providing provide adequate protection from the ambient environment, limits the use of flexible substrates for thin film solar cells due to its rigidity. Additionally, the added weight of glass encapsulation reduces the specific power (W/kg) of PSCs, which is an important factor when designing solar cells for aerospace applications. Here we demonstrate that commercially available acrylic spray encapsulation offers efficient and robust stability for PSCs. It is shown that applying the encapsulation via this method does not degrade the PSCs, unlike other literature and glass-glass encapsulation methods. Additionaly, it is shown that 1 coat …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Vanadium-based phosphates are being extensively studied as an important family of sodium-ion battery (SIB) cathodes. Among many compositions, NaVOPO4 is considered because of various polymorphs and the high redox potential of V4+/5+. However, due to relatively poor intrinsic kinetics and electronic conductivity, approaches such as nanostructuring and carbon composites are commonly used to avoid fast performance degradation. Being different from mainstream approaches, this work utilizes the knowledge gained from potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) and applies layered KVOPO4, a PIB cathode material, as a SIB cathode material. The results demonstrate that KVOPO4 experiences an electrochemical K+-Na+ exchange during the initial cycle and a Na-dominated (de)intercalation process in the following cycles. The initial exchange results in a small amount of K+ (~0.1 K per formula) remaining in the …

Journal of Physics: Energy

The 15 short chapters that form this 2023 ammonia-for-energy roadmap provide a comprehensive assessment of the current worldwide ammonia landscape and the future opportunities and associated challenges facing the use of ammonia, not only in the part that it can play in terms of the future displacement of fossil-fuel reserves towards massive, long-term, carbon-free energy storage and heat and power provision, but also in its broader holistic impacts that touch all three components of the future global food-water-energy nexus.

Journal of Physics: Energy

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIB) employing aqueous electrolytes have emerged as viable successors to the widely used lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), attributed to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and intrinsic safety features. Despite these advantages, the performance of ZIBs is significantly hindered by the scarcity of suitable cathode materials, positioning manganese zinc oxide (ZnMn2O4) as a potential solution. In this study, we describe the ZnMn2O4 (ZMO) compound focusing on its properties variations during Zn extraction and potential battery applications. For the sake of comparison, we also analyze the same properties of the LiMn2O4 in its tetragonal phase (TLMO), for the first time, motivated by a recent discovery that the substitution of Zn ions by Li in ZMO forms isostructural TLMO compound at room temperature. The study was conducted within the density functional theory (DFT) framework, where …

Journal of Physics: Energy

The 15 short chapters that form this 2023 ammonia-for-energy roadmap provide a comprehensive assessment of the current worldwide ammonia landscape and the future opportunities and associated challenges facing the use of ammonia, not only in the part that it can play in terms of the future displacement of fossil-fuel reserves towards massive, long-term, carbon-free energy storage and heat and power provision, but also in its broader holistic impacts that touch all three components of the future global food-water-energy nexus.

Journal of Physics: Energy

Engineering materials with highly tunable physical properties in response to external stimuli is a cornerstone strategy for advancing energy technology. Among various approaches, engineering ionic defects and understanding their roles are essential in tailoring emergent material properties and functionalities. Here, we demonstrate an effective approach for creating and controlling ionic defects (oxygen vacancies) in epitaxial Gd-doped CeO2-x (CGO)(001) films grown on Nb: SrTiO3 (001) single crystal. Our results exhibit a significant limitation in the formation of excess oxygen vacancies in the films during high-temperature film growth. However, we have discovered that managing the oxygen vacancies in the epitaxial CGO (001) films is feasible using a twostep film growth process. Subsequently, our findings show that manipulating excess oxygen vacancies is a key to the emergence of giant apparent dielectric …

Journal of Physics: Energy

This study proposes an off-grid direct air (carbon) capture (DAC) plant installed on the deck of an offshore floating wind turbine. The main objective is to understand detailed flow characteristics and

Journal of Physics: Energy

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites are increasingly explored for integration into light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as light-emissive layers. However, the quasi-2D perovskite films likely exhibit non-uniform dimensional phase distribution and irregular internal crystal structures. These characteristics are known to contribute to undesirable effects, including non-radiative recombination losses and radiative recombination in perovskites of various dimensions, impeding the realization of efficient electroluminescence and high color purity in LEDs. In this study, we present an investigation on the correlation between the dimensional distribution of quasi-2D perovskites and charge carrier behaviour by modulating anti-solvent dripping during the film fabrication processes. We provide a comprehensive analysis on the impact of controlled dimensional distribution on charge injection and recombination processes …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIB) employing aqueous electrolytes have emerged as viable successors to the widely used lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), attributed to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and intrinsic safety features. Despite these advantages, the performance of ZIBs is significantly hindered by the scarcity of suitable cathode materials, positioning manganese zinc oxide (ZnMn2O4) as a potential solution. In this study, we describe the ZnMn2O4 (ZMO) compound focusing on its properties variations during Zn extraction and potential battery applications. For the sake of comparison, we also analyze the same properties of the LiMn2O4 in its tetragonal phase (TLMO), for the first time, motivated by a recent discovery that the substitution of Zn ions by Li in ZMO forms isostructural TLMO compound at room temperature. The study was conducted within the density functional theory (DFT) framework, where …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Scalable processing of thin and robust solid-electrolyte separators is key for the commercialization of high-energy all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Herein, we report the preparation of Li6PS5Cl-based thin solid-electrolyte separators incorporating suitable binders for potential use in ASSBs by two scalable wet processing techniques: tape-casting with nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) and calendering with carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (XNBR). By means of tensile testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the influence of processing on the mechanical as well as the electrochemical properties of the resulting thin solid-electrolyte separators is investigated. A trade-off between the mechanical and electrochemical properties is observed, which is due to the inextricably linked microstructures (particle size, binder content and distribution, and porosity) induced by the two different processes. Thin solid …

Journal of Physics: Energy

Additive manufacturing of solid-state batteries is advantageous for improving the power density by increasing the geometric complexity of battery components, such as electrodes and electrolytes. In the present study, bulk three-dimensional Li1+ xAlxTi2-x (PO4) 3 (LATP) electrolyte samples were prepared using the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing method.

Journal of Physics: Energy

Water and energy are two strategic drivers of sustainable development, intimately interlaced and vital for a secure future of humanity. Given that water resources are limited, whereas global population and energy demand are exponentially growing, the competitive balance between these resources, referred to as the water-energy nexus – is receiving renewed focus. The desalination industry alleviates water stress by producing freshwater from saline sources, such as seawater, brackish or groundwater. Since the last decade, the market has been dominated by membrane desalination technology, offering significative advantages over thermal processes, such as lower energy demand, easy process control and scale-up, modularity for flexible productivity, and feasibility of synergic integration of different membrane operations. The exciting new frontier of sustainable mining of seawater concentrates is accelerating the …

Journal of Physics: Energy

As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, the need for energy-efficient, self-powered devices increases and so a better understanding of the available energy resource is necessary. We examine the light power resource availability for energy harvesting photovoltaics (PV) in various environments and its potential for self-powered IoT applications. We analyse light sources, considering spectral distribution, intensity, and temporal variations, and evaluate the impact of location, seasonal variation, and time of day on light power availability. Additionally, we discuss human and building design factors, such as occupancy, room aspect, sensor placement, and décor, which influence light energy availability and therefore power for IoT electronics. We propose a best-case and non-ideal scenario in terms of light resource for energy-harvesting, and using a commercially available organic PV cell, show that the energy yield …

Journal of Physics: Energy

In the race to reduce global CO 2 emissions and achieve net-zero, chemomechanics must play a critical role in the technological development of current and next-generation batteries to improve their energy storage capabilities and their lifetime. Many degradation processes arise through mechanics via the development of diffusion-induced stress and volumetric strains within the various constituent materials in a battery. From particle cracking in lithium-ion batteries to lithium dendrite-based fracture of solid electrolytes in solid-state batteries, it is clear that significant barriers exist in the development of these energy storage systems, where chemomechanics plays a central part. To accelerate technological and scientific advances in this area, multi-scale and highly coupled multiphysics modelling must be carried out that includes mechanics-based phenomena. In this perspective article, we provide an introduction to …