Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy

MATERIALS FOR RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY is a single-blind peer-reviewed open access journal published under the SpringerOpen brand.Energy is the single ...

List of Papers (Total 300)

Enhanced proton conductivity of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) incorporating oxidized polyvinyl alcohol for high-performance proton exchange membranes

Alternative proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with high proton conductivity must be fabricated at reasonable costs to qualify as commercially used proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). As a result, composite membranes containing sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) blended with various quantities of partially oxidized polyvinyl alcohol (OPVA) at 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and...

Electrodeposition and characterization of C/Sn thin films as a high-performance anode for li-ion batteries: effect of pulsed electrodeposition parameters

A two-step electrodeposition approach was applied to deposit Sn/C layers on a Ni foam substrate. The first step was the deposition of the Sn layer using two electrodeposition modes (direct and pulsed electrodeposition) with different parameters (duty cycle, time on/off, and effective time). The second step was to deposit carbon on the Sn layer by direct electrodeposition. The...

An experimental and computational investigation of Thulium doped TiO2 as n-type material for potential application in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

Solar energy harvesting and conversion has attracted a lot of scientific interest because solar energy is believed to be clean and sustainable. In this study, we report the synthesis of porous TiO2 by sol-gel method and later doped with Thulium rare earth ions (Tm3+) for potential application in organic solar cells as electron transport layers (ETL). Additionally, density...

Improvement of the efficiency and stability of solar cells using grating and hole-transferring nickel oxide-graphene oxide double-layer

This work improved energy efficiency, stability and energy stability in organic and organic perovskite solar cells, by using titanium dioxide as anti-reflective coating on silver. The use of graphene oxide-nickel oxide layer as a hole-transporting layer enhanced carrier mobility in addition to incrementing stability. The outcomes that have been meticulously extracted and analyzed...

Stability and charge transport analysis of high-performance PM6:Y7 nonfullerene organic solar cells using the metal–insulator–metal model

Non-fullerene acceptors are promising materials for organic solar cells because of their flexibility and low cost; however, their long-term stability remains a critical challenge. In this study, we investigate the degradation mechanisms of conventionally structured solar cells (ITO/PEDOT: PSS/PM6/Y7/PDINO/Ag) under different environmental conditions: nitrogen preservation...

Evaluating thermal storage capability of recycled construction materials: an experimental approach

Granular materials like sand have gained importance in thermal storage applications due to their stability and cost-effectiveness. However, excessive usage of sand can pose environmental issues. This study investigates recycled construction materials such as glass, asphalt, ceramic, and concrete as alternatives to natural sand for low-temperature TES applications. The materials...

Study on dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency improvement using methyl orange dye

In this work, different varieties of dye sensitized solar cells are fabricated by simple fabrication process. In this fabrication extract of butea monosperma flower, methylene blue and methyl orange dyes are used as sensitizers. The photovoltaic performance of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been studied. The performances of two different types of photo-electrodes are also...

Production and characterization of charcoal briquettes from sesame stalks as an alternative energy source

Using of agricultural residues for briquette production attracts the attention of many researchers to overcome the problems related to the usage of fossil fuels as an energy source. This study focused on the production of briquettes from sesame stalks as an alternative fuel in Cement industries. The briquettes were produced from carbonized sesame stalks using paper waste, cow...

Effects of the physisorption properties of human hair-derived activated carbon as a potential electrode for symmetric supercapacitor

Herein, human hair-derived activated carbon (HH-AC) with remarkable physisorption properties such as high surface area and well-balanced micro- and mesopores, is synthesized by chemical activation method using potassium hydroxide (KOH). The activated carbon is synthesized at different ratio of charred human hair and activator as 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 for HH AC(11), HH-AC(12) and HH-AC...

Comprehensive study on photovoltaic cell

The utilization of fossil fuels for power generation results in the production of a greater quantity of pollutants and greenhouse gases, which exerts detrimental impacts on the ecosystem. A range of solar energy technologies can be employed to address forthcoming energy demands, concurrently mitigating pollution and protecting the world from global threats. This study critically...

Carbon coated titanium dioxide (CC-TiO2) as an efficient anode material for sodium- ion batteries

TiO2 has attracted a lot of attention as anode material for sodium-ion batteries due to its higher operating voltage, safely and low lost material, but TiO2 has two main issues, low electronic conductivity and slow solid-state ion diffusion. These issues have been successfully resolved by researchers using carbon coating on TiO2. In this work, carbon coated TiO2 (CC-TiO2...

Strategic control of excess tellurium to achieve high figure-of-merit in Te-rich Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3

Increasing the Te content in stoichiometric Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 facilitates effective control over the anti-site defects and nanostructure; however, arresting excess Te in the host matrix is challenging. Herein, we report the success of a saturation-annealing treatment in a vacuum, followed by air-quenching as a promising approach for synthesizing high figure-of-merit (zT) Bi0.5Sb1...

Addressing fabrication challenges in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells with advanced simulation techniques

In the pursuit of higher conversion efficiency, the PV industry has turned its focus towards perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, which currently represent the peak of innovation. To surpass the efficiency limits of traditional single-junction cells, researchers are exploring the potential of these tandem solar cells by integrating the merits of perovskite and silicon. However...

Unravelling the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of hydrogenated amorphous silicon cells for photovoltaics

This research reveals the application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in analyzing and improving the performance of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si: H) based photovoltaic cells. As a non-destructive technique, EIS provides deep insight into the electrochemical characteristics of photovoltaic cells, including series resistance, layer capacitance, recombination...

Hydrogen generation through metal waste corrosion: a systematic investigation on old/post-consumer scrap Al6063-series alloy

In this study, aluminum-based wastes are used as energy carriers for on-demand hydrogen production through sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective controlled electrochemical corrosion in aqueous solution. The electrochemical process is very effective because it (i) uses waste metals to produce hydrogen, (ii) corroborates to circular economy, (iii) produces high purity...

Direct non-oxidative methane decomposition over silica-supported Co/Ni/Mo catalysts

Typically, the methods for converting methane can be categorized into two primary groups: direct and indirect. Among these, the direct non-oxidative conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons has received a lot of interest in recent years due to its distinct advantages over the indirect routes. Several catalysts based on transitional metals such as Ni, Fe, Co, Mo, etc. have...

Tailoring durable MnOx-based electrodes for high-performance electrocatalytic function for next-generation electrocatalysis applications

This study introduces a high-performance electrode coated with MnOx compounds to enhance the HER reaction. The active and precipitated MnOx species facilitate interconnected electron transport throughout the Ti electrodes. The tailored MnOx electrodes exhibited a significant reduction in Rct (69.7%), superior Cdl (31.6%), and a notably lower Nyquist ring compared to traditional...

Fe-doped SnO2 nanoparticles: enhancing the photocatalytic hydrogen efficiency, Rhodamine-B dye degradation and visible light absorption

The existing energy-wastewater nexus may be resolved using metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts in photocatalytic hydrogen production and pollutant degradation, which is a clean and sustainable process. SnO2 is one such well-researched and proven photocatalyst that is now in use, although it only works with ultraviolet light, which only makes up 4% of the total solar energy...

The role of TCNQ for surface and interface passivation in inverted perovskite solar cells

The noticeable growth in the power conversion efficiency of solution-processed organo-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (OIHPSCs) incited the photovoltaic community to look for limitations that hurdle the commercialization process. The surface and interface defects between the perovskite and electron transport layers are among the main challenges that cause significant non...

Triple-junction tandem solar cells: structural and spectral optimization for improved current matching and efficiency

In this work, a triple-junction tandem solar cell (TSC) has been designed in order to increase the photovoltaic (PV) performance through utilizing maximum light photons. To create three junctions in this work three subcells have been designed and optimized at its best PV performance. The optimization of all the three subcells have been done through the various variations in the...

A comparative study on the structural, chemical, morphological and electrochemical properties of α-MnO2, β-MnO2 and δ-MnO2 as cathode materials in aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered to be highly promising electrochemical energy storage device due to their affordability, inherent safety, large zinc resources, and optimal specific capacity. Among various cathode materials, manganese dioxide (MnO2) stands out for its high voltage, environmental benignity, and theoretical specific capacity. This study...

Waste-to-carbon-based supercapacitors for renewable energy storage: progress and future perspectives

The increasing demand for cost-effective materials for energy storage devices has prompted investigations into diverse waste derived electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) application. This review examines advancements in converting waste into carbon-based SCs for renewable energy storage. In this context, different carbon-based waste precursor sources have been explored...

An implantable glucose enzymatic biofuel cell integrated with flexible gold-coated carbon foam and carbon thread bioelectrodes grafted inside a living rat

The advent of long-term implants has increased the urgent need for self-powered biomedical devices. Utilize enzymes to expedite the process of biofuel oxidation. These systems frequently make use of glucose oxidase. A possible solution involves glucose biofuel cells powered by the glucose found in physiological fluids. Biocompatible substances like carbon electrode designs help...

Bioethanol production from concentration fruit wastes juice using bakery yeast

Appropriate and effective management of fruit wastes is fundamental for promoting sustainability, minimizing environmental impacts, and safeguarding human health. This underscores the necessity for sustainable waste management practices including transforming them into valuable products to mitigate their adverse effects. This study focuses on the production of bioethanol from...