…achieves 16,94% power conversion efficiency. Researchers at ICFO have fabricated a new four-terminal organic solar cell with a tandem configuration with a 16.94% power conversion efficiency (PCE). The new device is composed by a highly transparent front cell that incorporates a transparent ultrathin silver (Ag) electrode of only 7nm, which ensures its efficient operation. Two–terminal tandem organic solar cells (OSCs) represent one of the most promising approaches to address the transmission and thermalization losses in single-junction solar cells. These organic…
Tests confirm quality of purified graphite from used lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have become an integral part of everyday life. The number of used batteries is correspondingly high. They contain considerable amounts of important raw materials such as graphite. Recycling this mineral for being reused for new batteries with the same performance is an important goal. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm and the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have now demonstrated that…
… using a small modular spectrometer platform. Low-cost and compact: Individually configurable spectrometer platform developed. Compact and ultra-compact near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy systems for the evaluation of organic substances are critical to industries as diverse as food, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. On-site, non-destructive analysis provides confidence in quality control and saves time. The non-resonant Scanning Mirror Micro Spectrometer (SMMS) platform developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS offers a compact and cost-effective alternative to expensive benchtop devices based on line…
There is room for just one small bottle in the world’s first refrigerator that is cooled with artificial muscles made of nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy. But the mini-prototype that the team led by professors Stefan Seelecke and Paul Motzki will be presenting at the Hannover Messe from 22 to 26 April is groundbreaking: it shows that elastocalorics is becoming a viable solution for practical applications. This climate-friendly cooling and heating technology is far more energy-efficient and sustainable than current methods….
Fraunhofer researchers have developed a helmet with an integrated acceleration sensor for drivers of construction vehicles. The helmet sensor measures harmful vibrations that affect the body. A software analyzes the sensor signals and shows the stress on the affected person. This allows corresponding relief measures to be taken. A flexible piezo-electret film serves as the sensor. A demonstration model for the Flexeras project will be presented at the joint Fraunhofer booth at the Hannover Messe (April 22–26, 2024, Hall 2,…
To enable more wind turbines to be built in Switzerland, scientists are optimising vertical models that are more compact and quieter than conventional alternatives. One of the major challenges of Switzerland’s energy transition is the reduced electricity production from solar power plants and dams in winter. Wind turbines, which double their output in the winter months, could play a key role in the transition to renewables. However, they take up a lot of space and are noisy. This makes it…
New system revolutionizes production of bipolar plates. Climate-friendly fuel cell systems, which are set to power machines such as vehicles in the future, are still rare and expensive these days. There are several reasons for this, including the complex and costly process used to produce bipolar plates — a key component in electrolyzers and fuel cells, which are needed for many hydrogen systems. The Fraunhofer IWU has now taken a major step toward lower costs and mass production of bipolar…
Perovskite-based solar cells were first proved in 2009 to have excellent light-absorbing properties of methylammonium lead bromide and methylammonium lead iodide, collectively referred to as lead halide perovskites or, more simply, perovskites. While the efficiency of these first perovskite solar cells was modest, it was the start of a new path in photovoltaic research. Today, it is clear that future solar cells are likely to include these perovskites in combination with traditional silicon. Erkan Aydin, Stefaan De Wolf and a…
With groundbreaking developments in the field of chemical sensor technology, the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is setting new standards in the assessment of water quality for humans and the environment. In addition to key parameters such as conductivity and pH, nutrients such as nitrate, phosphate and potassium will also play an important role as key ions in the future. Their evaluation is particularly important in environmental analysis, agriculture and water management. In the Chemical Sensors and Systems business…
Researchers at Stanford have designed a spring-assisted actuator – a device that can accomplish dynamic tasks using a fraction of the energy previously required. Whether it’s a powered prosthesis to assist a person who has lost a limb or an independent robot navigating the outside world, we are asking machines to perform increasingly complex, dynamic tasks. But the standard electric motor was designed for steady, ongoing activities like running a compressor or spinning a conveyor belt – even updated designs…
… under mixed friction thanks to innovative thinfilm multisensor. The measurement of pressure and temperature plays a crucial role in various technical applications from rolling bearings to gears and seals. In particular, there have been no solutions to date for measurements under mixed friction, i. e. the simultaneous occurrence of liquid and solid friction. At the Hannover Messe from April 22 – 26, 2024, the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST will be presenting a newly developed thin-film…
A promising option for creating a productive and sustainable energy source on Earth is the fusion of hydrogen nuclei. The problem? Extremely high pressures and temperatures are required to set the nuclear fusion process off. Technologically, this could be achieved using laser flashes (“laser fusion” or “inertial confinement fusion”). By drafting the “X-ray laser optimization of laser fusion” (Röntgenlaser-Optimierung der Laserfusion, ROLF) project) Dr. Tobias Dornheim from the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR)…
– vacuum process may offer a short track to commercialization. A large variety of fabrication processes are investigated in research and industry – comparative study assesses options for mass production. Over the past decade, perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells have demonstrated a stunning development. In research, efficiencies of more than 33 percent have been shown, exceeding by far those of conventional silicon-based solar cells. However, yet the technology has not reached the market. One of the major challenges is the unresolved…
Altermagnetic CrSb with promising characteristics for electronic applications. Altermagnets represent a newly recognized class of materials in magnetism that could enable novel applications in spin-based electronics. Their magnetically ordered state consists of an antiparallel arrangement of microscopic magnetic moments, so-called spins, as in antiferromagnets. In contrast to antiferromagnetism, however, the altermagnetic state with zero net-magnetization enables the generation of electrical currents with spin polarization, as required in spin-based electronics. Thus, altermagnets combine the advantages of antiferromagnets, i.e., ultrafast dynamics, and…
eVTOL battery analysis reveals unique operating demands. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are taking cleaner transportation to the skies by creating and evaluating new batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. These aircraft, commonly called eVTOLs, range from delivery drones to urban air taxis. They are designed to rise into the air like a helicopter and fly using wing-borne lift like an airplane. Compared with helicopters, eVTOLs generally use more rotors…
Novel technology reaches 100-kW wireless power transfer for passenger vehicle. A team of researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory demonstrated that a light-duty passenger electric vehicle can be wirelessly charged at 100-kW with 96% efficiency using polyphase electromagnetic coupling coils with rotating magnetic fields. ORNL’s patented system transferred power to a Hyundai Kona EV across a five-inch airgap using electromagnetic fields, a process similar to the wireless charging of small consumer devices. “We’ve achieved the highest power density in the…
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