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MATERIALS UPDATE: Pushing Battery and Solar Cell Research to the Next Level…

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From news to application articles, discover the latest advances and methodologies in materials and energy research

5 Jun 2018
Lui Terry
Administrator / Office Personnel

Editorial article

In recent months there have been fascinating developments in the energy research sector of materials science. From the development of lead-free and heat stable perovskites for solar applications to advancements in nuclear-diamond batteries, SelectScience® brings together all the latest news, application notes and videos from across the energy, fuel cells and batteries communities.

In the News – The Latest in Energy and Materials   PROTOYPE NUCLEAR BATTERY: Could this Diamond / Nickel-63 Battery be the Future of Power Generation? Nuclear batteries, or betavoltaics, have recently stepped back into the light with the development of a battery producing 3,300 milliwatt-hours of energy per gram, ten times more than the specific energy of commercial chemical cells. The cell was designed at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, composed of diamond and nickel-63. Find out more here: Prototype Nuclear Battery Packs 10 Times More Power >>   ENHANCING ALTERNATIVE SOLAR MATERIALS: Lead-Free and Heat-Stable Perovskite Materials Perovskites have emerged in solar cell research as a promising alternative to silicon-based photovoltaics with high efficiencies and the functionality to create thin films of the material. However, most are either unstable at the high temperatures that solar cells operate at, or contain lead, which is highly toxic. Recent developments in America and Japan have provided neat solutions to these complications, which you can read more about here: Researchers Discover New Lead-Free Perovskite Material for Solar Cells >> and here: Improving Prospects of Perovskite Solar Cells >>   COMPUTATIONAL ASSISTANCE: Screening More Photovoltaic Materials with AI Software In the search for new and efficient materials for solar applications, to save time and effort, scientists are turning to computational methods to screen for well-matched solar materials. A team of scientists at Osaka University used machine learning to build a model predicting the efficiency of potential new organic photovoltaic devices, gathering data from around 500 studies on ~1200 organic photovoltaic materials. Find out more here: AI Software Assists Design of New Material for Solar Cells >>   In the Lab – Application Notes and Methods   TIME-RESOLVED EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY: Determining the Emission Lifetime of Perovskite Materials Measuring the kinetics of the photoluminescent decay of a photovoltaic material is important to determine its efficiency in solar applications, hence time-resolved emission spectroscopy is a must for those working on photovoltaics. In this application note, the methodology for measuring the time-resolved emission of a perovskite photovoltaic material is outlined: Measurement of Carrier Lifetime in Perovskite for Solar Cell Applications >>   BATTERY STRESS TEST: How to Test Your Batteries Against High-Current Pulses  In developing new batteries, stress tests are important to see if there are any changes to its characteristics such as electrical impedance. In this application note, a method for testing high-current pulses for battery research is discussed: High-Current Pulses for Battery Research>>   MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS: Applying Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) on Solar Devices Microstructure can often play an important role in the efficiency of a device, from solar cells to other semiconducting devices. This application note details how FIB-SEM can be used to reveal the internal structure of the cell, enabling detailed characterization of the electrodes and microstructure throughout the cell by STEM, EDS and SIMS: FIB-SEM Investigations of the Microstructure of CIGS Solar Cells >>   OPTIMIZED IMAGING: How to Image Li-Ion Battery Components at Low Acceleration Voltages Rechargeable Li-ion batteries are complex electrochemical energy storage devices and are the power source of choice for portable electronic devices such as cellphones and laptops. Analyzing Li-ion battery materials using electron microscopy can be challenging as the charging effects of high accelerating voltages can damage the sensitive components. This white paper by ZEISS demonstrates how SEM can be used to analyze the anode, cathode and separator of a Li-ion battery at low accelerating voltage: Imaging Li-Ion Battery Components at Low Accelerating Voltages>>   At Your Desk – Videos for Your Coffee Break   CONTROLING VARIABLES - Energy Storage Research at WMG.  Learn how Mark Amor-Segan, principle engineer at the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), battery testing facility, University of Warwick, UK, ensures a controlled environment for energy storage research and battery cell prototypes being developed at WMG. Watch here: Controlling Environments for Energy Storage Research >>       Receive more great content like this straight to your inbox, become a member for free today!

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Atomic Absorption / Emission SpectroscopyAtomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) — also called optical emission spectroscopy (OES) — are used to detect the elemental constituents in samples. Both techniques involve the atomization of a sample. Atomic absorption spectrometers may use a flame or furnace to create an atomic vapor of the sample before irradiation with spectral light. Optical emission spectrometers may use a flame, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), microwave plasma (MP) or spark arcs to atomize and excite the sample. At higher excitation energies, electrons can be emitted instead of photons, which can be useful for samples that can’t be atomized and for surface analysis. Explore electron spectroscopy equipment such as Auger spectrometers and photoelectron spectrometers for surface elemental analysis of samples. Find the best atomic absorption, photoelectron and optical emission spectrometers in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Fluorescence SpectroscopyFluorometers and spectrofluorometers (also called fluorescence spectrometers) are used to measure the intensity and wavelength of fluorescent light emitted from a sample after excitation by illumination. Spectrofluorometers utilize monochromators to select the desired wavelengths, whereas filter fluorometers employ a set of filters. Spectrofluorometers for measuring steady-state fluorescence and lifetime fluorescence (or time-resolved fluorescence) are available, as well as fluorescence microscopes and microplate readers. Find the best fluorescence spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Infrared / IR SpectroscopyInfrared (IR) spectroscopy measures the interaction of infrared light with a sample, including transmission, reflectance & absorbance, facilitating the identification of analytes. Equipment used for quantitative analysis includes Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers, infrared cameras, FTIR gas analyzers, as well as attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessories and pellet or film presses. Find the best IR spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Raman SpectroscopyRaman spectroscopy is used to discern the vibrational and rotational states of molecules and hence the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the inelastic scattering of monochromatic light. Explore a range of Raman spectrometers, including handheld/portable Raman spectrometers for QC/QA labs and in situ spectrometers for processes. Conduct Raman imaging for microanalysis of mixed samples using a Raman microscope. Raman spectrographs are also available. Find the best Raman spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.UV-Visible SpectroscopyUltraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometers are used to measure the interaction of UV and visible light with a sample, including transmission, reflectance & absorbance. The two major instrument classes are single-beam or double-beam spectrophotometers. More specialized equipment includes colorimeters, spectroradiometers and refractometers. Portable and microvolume spectrophotometers are also available. For the modular spectroscopy lab, explore a range of light sources for combination with a spectrograph/spectrometer and optics. Find the best UV-Vis spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.X-Ray Diffraction and SpectroscopyX-Ray diffraction & spectroscopy are used in material characterization to discern the structure and elemental composition of a sample. X-Ray diffractometers (XRD) are superior instruments in elucidating the dimensional atomic structure of crystalline materials, including powders, thin films and single crystals. For large unit cells or ordered macromolecules, consider small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). X-ray spectroscopic techniques include X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), both providing simple and accurate methods for determining the elemental composition of a material. Energy dispersive (EDXRF) and wavelength dispersive (WDXRF) XRF spectrometers are available, as well as handheld/portable devices. High-resolution, 3D microstructure characterization of materials can be achieved with X-ray microscopes combining sub-micron resolution imaging with 3D computed tomography. Find the best XRD and XRF spectrometers in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.InterferometryInterferometry is an investigative technique used to analyze the pattern of interference created during the superposition of 2 or more waves. An interferometer is used to produce 2 or more overlapping waves. The interferometer is comprised of 2 or more telescopes, a detector and a correlator. The interferometer detector may utilize homodyne or heterodyne detection of the interference pattern.NanotechnologyNanotechnology, or nanotech, is an engineering technique using molecular scale functional systems. Applications of nanotechnology include medicine and medical devices, electronics, air and water purification, food science and energy production.Particle CharacterizationParticle characterization instruments are used to determine particle size distribution, shape, surface area, zeta potential, density and porosity of particles and materials. Multiple tecchniques are available for determining particle size, shape and count including dynamic light scattering (DLS), laser diffraction, electrozone (Coulter technique), imaging particle analysis and single particle optical sensing. Determine the density of your material with a gas pycnometer or examine its surface area and porosity with gas adsorption analyzers and mercury porosimeters. Find the best particle characterization instruments in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Thermal Analysis EquipmentThermal analysis equipment is used for measuring heat flow, weight loss, dimension changes or thermomechanical properties and is important for analyzing a material’s performance and stability. Thermal analysis equipment includes differential scanning calorimeters (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzers (TGA), thermomechanical analyzers (TMA), dilatometers, thermometers, vapor sorption analyzers, boiling and melting point apparatus. Thermal analyzers can reveal properties such as melting, crystallization and glass transitions or other processes such as oxidation, decomposition, volatilization, as well as coefficients of thermal expansion and modulus. Find the best thermal analysis equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Mechanical TestingMechanical testing explores the elastic and inelastic nature of a material when force is applied. A mechanical test shows whether a material is suitable for its intended application by measuring hardness, tensile strength, elongation, elasticity, and fatigue limit.Non-Destructive TechniquesNon-destructive techniques (NDT) describes a variety of analytical techniques used to evaluate the properties of a material. Common methods include ultrasonic, magnetic-particle, liquid penetrant, radiographic, remote visual inspection (RVI), and eddy-current testing. NDT is regularly used in forensic engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, aeronautical engineering, and medicine.Light MicroscopyLight microscopes or optical microscopes are used to visualize microscale objects under magnification, including cells, clinical specimens and materials. Lab equipment for light microscopy includes confocal microscopes, fluorescence microscopes, zoom and stereo microscopes. Microscope slides and imaging reagents are available for visualizing samples, as well as various microscope stages and incubators for large or temperature-sensitive samples. Find the best light microscopes in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Electron MicroscopyElectron microscopes (EM) are used to create high-resolution images of samples at the nanoscale by means of an accelerated beam of electrons as a source of illumination. Types of electron microscope include scanning electron microscopes (SEM), transmission electron microscopes (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM) and cryo-electron microscopes. Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes are useful for modifying or milling a sample surface with nanometer precision, as well as imaging. Find the best electron microscopes in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.FluorescenceThe emission of fluorescence occurs when a photon of energy is supplied to a fluorescent chemical compound by an external source, causing it to become excited. Fluorescence can be detected and measured for different purposes using microplate readers, fluorescence microscopes, fluorescence scanners, and flow cytometers.

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MATERIALS UPDATE: Pushing Battery and Solar Cell Research to the Next Level…