Poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene)(MEH-PPV)/Nitrogen containing derivatives of fullerene composites: Optical characterization and application in flexible polymer solar cells

New soluble organofullerenes were synthesised by the reaction of organic amines and azides with the [60]fullerene. The comparative investigations of the IR- and optical absorption spectra of blends MEH-PPV/fullerene derivative in solutions and in films showed no ground-state interaction between the components. Photoluminescence (PL) experiments, and photocurrent-voltage measurements were performed on model photovoltaic (PV) cells. We found that PL of MEH-PPV is completely quenched by a small admixture of fullerene derivative which assumes a high efficiency of charge separation in the composite material. The photocurrent in the PV device containing fullerene derivative is two orders of magnitude higher than that in pure MEH-PPV. An attempt to observe the magnetic field spin effect (MFSE) on the photocurrent in MEH-PPV/fullerene composites was made.     

Co‐optimization of SnS absorber and Zn(O,S) buffer materials for improved solar cells

Thin‐film solar cells consisting of earth‐abundant and non‐toxic materials were made from pulsed chemical vapor deposition (pulsed‐CVD) of SnS as the p‐type absorber layer and atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Zn(O,S) as the n‐type buffer layer. The effects of deposition temperature and annealing conditions of the SnS absorber layer were studied for solar cells with a structure of Mo/SnS/Zn(O,S)/ZnO/ITO. Solar cells were further optimized by varying the stoichiometry of Zn(O,S) and the annealing conditions of SnS. Post‐deposition annealing in pure hydrogen sulfide improved crystallinity and increased the carrier mobility by one order of magnitude, and a power conversion efficiency up to 2.9% was achieved. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Material requirements for the adoption of unconventional silicon crystal and wafer growth techniques for high‐efficiency solar cells

Silicon wafers comprise approximately 40% of crystalline silicon module cost and represent an area of great technological innovation potential. Paradoxically, unconventional wafer‐growth techniques have thus far failed to displace multicrystalline and Czochralski silicon, despite four decades of innovation. One of the shortcomings of most unconventional materials has been a persistent carrier lifetime deficit in comparison to established wafer technologies, which limits the device efficiency potential. In this perspective article, we review a defect‐management framework that has proven successful in enabling millisecond lifetimes in kerfless and cast materials. Control of dislocations and slowly diffusing metal point defects during growth, coupled to effective control of fast‐diffusing species during cell processing, is critical to enable high cell efficiencies. To accelerate the pace of novel wafer development, we discuss approaches to rapidly evaluate the device efficiency potential of unconventional wafers from injection‐dependent lifetime measurements. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Viscous and elastic properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) melts filled with silica nanoparticles

In this paper it is shown that elastic properties of a poly(methyl methacrylate) melt in the linear range of deformation are more significantly influenced by the addition of silica nanoparticles than viscous ones. The effect is the strongest in the steady-state which is reached at several thousand seconds. That is the reason why the often used dynamic-mechanical experiments are not a very suitable method for investigations of that kind. Therefore, creep and creep-recovery tests were applied for the characterisation of the filled materials. The linear steady-state recoverable compliances following from the recovery experiments increase by a factor of 6 at the highest measured volume content of 2.1%. This finding is explained by the existence of long retardation times in the filled materials resulting from interactions between the fillers and matrix molecules attached to their surfaces which reduce their molecular mobility. Retardation spectra calculated from the recovery curves quantify these assumptions. The model is supported by the experimental finding that the recoverable compliance becomes smaller above a certain stress applied and approaches that of the matrix as such a behaviour could be explained by a detachment of the molecules from the particle surface. The paper demonstrates that investigations of elastic properties of nanoparticle filled polymers in the molten state at long experimental times are a very sensitive tool to get an insight into interactions between particles and macromolecules of such systems.     

HAWT near‐wake aerodynamics,Part I: axial flow conditions

An improved physical understanding of the rotor aerodynamics of a horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) is required to reduce the uncertainties associated with today's design codes. Wind tunnel experiments contribute to increased knowledge and enable validation and construction of models. The present study focuses on the near‐wake of a model HAWT in both axial and yawed flow conditions. At three downstream planes parallel to the rotor plane, single‐sensor hot‐film traverses are made. The phase‐locked unsteady three‐dimensional flow velocity vector is determined by a novel data reduction method. A series of two papers discusses the near‐wake aerodynamics of a model HAWT. The main goals are to obtain a detailed understanding of the near‐wake development and to arrive at a base for model construction and validation. The first paper presents the experimental setup, data reduction and the results for the baseline case (axial flow conditions). In the second paper, the results for the yawed flow cases are presented and the effect of yaw misalignment on the near‐wake development is discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Single‐Phase Filamentary Cellular Breakdown Via Laser‐Induced Solute Segregation

Nanosecond melting and quenching of materials offers a pathway to novel structures with unusual properties. Impurity‐rich silicon processed using nanosecond‐pulsed‐laser‐melting is known to produce nanoscale features in a process referred to as “cellular breakdown” due to destabilization of the planar liquid/solid interface. Here, atom probe tomography combined with electron microscopy is applied to show that the morphology of cellular breakdown in these materials is significantly more complex than previously documented. Breakdown into a complex, branching filamentary structure topped by a few nm of a cell‐like layer is observed. Single‐phase diamond cubic silicon highly supersaturated with at least 10% atomic Co and no detectable silicides is reported within these filaments. In addition, the unprecedented spatio‐chemical accuracy of the atom probe allows to investigate nanosecond formation dynamics of this complex material. Previously reported properties of these materials can now be reconsidered in light of their true composition, and this class of inhomogeneous metastable alloys in silicon can be explored with confidence.