Study of Pb-based and Pb-free perovskite solar cells using Cu-doped Ni1-xO thin films as hole transport material

SCAPS solar cell simulation program was applied to model an inverted structure of perovskite solar cells using Cu-doped Ni_1-xO thin films as hole transport layer. The Cu-doped Ni_1-xO film were made by co-sputtering deposition under different deposition conditions. By increasing the amount of the Cu-dopant, the film crystallinity enhanced whereas the bandgap energy decreased. The transmittance of the thin films decreased significantly by increasing the sputtering power of copper. High quality, uniform, compact, and pin-hole free films with low surface roughness were achieved. The structural, chemical, surface morphology, optical, electrical, and electronic properties of the Cu doped Ni_1-xO films were used as input parameters in the simulation of Pb-based (MAPbI_3-xCl_x) and Pb-free (MAGeI₃) perovskite solar cells. Simulation results showed that the performance of both Pb-based and Pb-free perovskite solar cell devices significantly enhanced with Cu-doped Ni_1-xO film. The highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the Pb-free perovskite solar cell is 8.9% which is lower than the highest PCE of 17.5% for the Pb-based perovskite solar cell.     

Comprehensive numerical investigations on the thermal performance of heat recirculating micro combustor with pin fins for micro-thermal voltaic system applications

Aiming at improving the relatively low energy output and energy conversion efficiency of the micro-thermal voltaic (MTPV) system, an innovative heat recirculating micro combustor with pin fins is designed. The effects of pin fins arrangement, hydrogen/air equivalent ratio on the energy output and performance of CHMC, HMCP and HMCI are compared and investigated. The result shows that when the V_in is 6 m/s and Φ is 1.0, the emitter power of CHMC is 72.76W, and that of HCMP and HCMI micro combustor are 75.99W and 76.35W. and the emitter efficiency of CHMC, HCMP and HCMI is 41.93%, 43.26% and 44.01%. HMCI has better energy output capability compared with CHMC and HMCP. Even though, HMCI brings a higher pressure drop, it is within the acceptable range. When the V_in is 6 m/s, the pressure drop from the pin fins only accounts for 26.4% of the total pressure drop for HMCI. Through the study of equivalent ratio, it is found that HMCI has good adaptability in different equivalent ratio range. This work provides new ideas for the development of MTPV system in the future.     

Investigation of stress fields for non-standard sized glass plates loaded by ring-on-ring

A ring-on-ring (ROR) test is a prevailing test method for evaluating the equi-biaxial strength of glass materials. However, current ROR test standards limit the strength and size of glass to prevent a nonlinear behavior. In this study, the feasibility of ROR testing for non-standard, high-strength glass, such as tempered or ion-exchanged rectangular glass is investigated. To this end, ROR simulation based on theory and experiment is conducted for thirty non-standard glasses with widths of 100–300 mm and aspect ratios of 1.0–2.0. As a result, the maximum measurable stress was about 215.6 MPa for 100 × 200 mm glass and 481.3 MPa for 300 × 600 mm glass with a 3% deviation, which is well above the strength of regular tempered glass. The main purpose of this work is to understand the range of aspect ratio of horizontal and vertical widths of a glass plate that can be evaluated by the standard ROR test.     

LBM investigation of a Cu-water nanofluid over various configurations of pipes in the mixed convection flow

Increasing the heat capacity of heat exchangers is a crucial need for modern devices. The thermal conductivity of the usual fluids and the Nusselt (Nu) number of flows containing such fluids are two bottlenecks in the way of increasing heat delivery in the heat exchangers. For this reason, nanofluids have been introduced. The effect of utilizing a Cu-water nanofluid as a coolant of two hot pipes in a square cavity is investigated numerically with a two-component lattice Boltzmann method. The volume fraction of nanoparticles is assumed to be constant (0.03) while the Richardson (Ri) number varies from 0.02 to 20. Results show that the effectiveness of nanoparticles is better observed in the natural convection mode. However, sedimentation is also very probable at high Ri numbers, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the nanoparticles. Configurations which produce a natural convection stream similar to the forced convection one as well as the configurations with high spacing and hence, low heat stream interactions, are the best choices for a uniform heat rate from the pipes.     

新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝构件受力的简化计算方法

针对常见泥石流防治结构被冲击破坏的问题，基于“柔性消能”理念，结合张弦梁结构和竖向预应力锚杆技术，提出一种既能改善结构受力性能、增加结构整体抗冲击能力、保证结构安全可靠，又能减小结构构件截面尺寸、节约成本、便于现场施工组装和后期运营维护的新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝，并阐述其技术原理。根据泥石流荷载分布和新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的受力特征，给出其简化的内力计算方法；并利用SAP2000建立新结构有限元模型，分析了结构的整体受力，验证了构件简化计算方法的合理性；结合Python语言和Qt De? signer软件开发了相应的设计计算软件，对新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的内力进行求解。结果表明：提出的新结构抗冲击性能好，构件受力均匀；以后设计中应关注竖杆的剪切脆性破坏和立柱偏心受力情况，保证结构安全；变形协调仅使底层张弦梁与竖杆内力偏大，实际工程应用时，应着重验算底层构件，防止其破坏；文中提出的简化计算方法能较准确的反映结构的受力特性，具有一定的合理性，研究可为新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的设计计算和推广应用提供理论依据和技术支持。     

建筑工业化发展的多群体演化博弈与仿真研究

新型建筑工业化具有高质量、低消耗、可循环发展等特征，其推广已上升到国家战略层面。利用演化博弈方法，建立“政府-开发商-银行” 的三方动态演化博弈模型，进行各博弈主体策略的演化稳定性分析，并针对初始状态、奖惩力度、借贷风险和开发成本等对演化结果的影响进行动态仿真。在此基础上， 考虑开发商群体的网络拓扑特征对演化真实性的影响，引入复杂网络理论， 以无标度网络为载体描述开发商个体的连接偏好和决策机制，构建政府监管下的建筑工业化扩散模型，并通过仿真深入研究相关因素对扩散深度的影响作用，最后结合仿真结果给出相应对策建议。     

Magnetic properties and magnetoresistance effect of SnFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles: Experimental,ab initio and Monte Carlo simulation

In this contribution, SnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were prepared by the solvothermal method, the structural properties were performed using X-Ray Diffraction (DRX) to prove the success of tin ferrite formation and to determine de crystals parameters. The size and morphological study were build using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM), the results showed that the size of particles is uniform with a range of particles (5–7 nm). The magnetic properties were carried out using the SQUID device, the SnFe2O4 nanoparticles have a magnetic transition at 750 K. In addition, the hysteresis loops at low temperature displayed Ms and Mr equals to 23 emu/g and 6 emu/g, respectively. The magnetoresistance properties were investigated, the SnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles present a large magnetoresistance effect (80%). The experimental results are supplemented by model calculations utilizing density functional theory and Monte-Carlo simulations.     

Nanoarchitectonics of CdS/ZnSnO3 heterostructures for Z-Scheme mediated directional transfer of photo-generated charges with enhanced photocatalytic performance

The construction of heterostructure is an effective strategy to synergetically couple wide-band-gap with the narrow-band-gap semiconductor with a mediate optical property and charge transfer capability. Herein, the Z-Scheme CdS/ZnSnO₃ (CdS/ZSO) heterostructures were constructed by anchoring CdS nanoparticles on the surface of double-shell hollow cubic ZnSnO₃ via the hydrothermal method. The direct recombination of excited electrons in the conduction band (CB) of ZSO and holes in the valence band (VB) of CdS via d-p conjugation at the interface greatly accelerated the internal electric field (IEF). The transfer mode follows the Z-Scheme mechanism, where CdS/ZSO synergistically facilitates the efficient charges transfer from CdS to ZnSnO₃ through the intimate interface. Here, ZnSnO₃ and CdS serve as an oxidation photocatalyst (OP) and reduction photocatalyst (RP), respectively. Thus, it can promote synergistically the oxidation half-reaction and reduction half-reaction of H₂ evolution. The density-functional theory (DFT) calculation further confirms the charges transfer from CdS to ZnSnO₃. The hydrogen evolution of 5% CdS/ZSO heterostructure reached 1167.3 μmol g^?1, which was about 8 and 3 folds high compared to pristine ZSO (141.9 μmol g^?1) and CdS (315.5 μmol g^?1), during 3 h of reaction respectively. Furthermore, the CdS/ZSO heterostructures could suppress the photo corrosion of CdS, resulting in its high stability. This work is expected to enlighten the rational design of heterostructure for OP and RP to promote the hybrid heterostructures photocatalytic H₂ evolution.