Solar cells (like people!) work better with caffeine

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http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/perovskite-solar-cells-with-caffeine

Solar cells (like people!) work better with caffeine
In UCLA-led study, perovskite-based devices benefit from the strong bond between lead and the same chemical found in coffee and tea

Meghan Steele Horan | April 25, 2019

Scientists at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA have found that caffeine improves the stability of materials under heat – a property known as thermal stability — of perovskite solar cells, which could someday replace traditional silicon-based solar cells.

The research, published today in the journal Joule, was led by Yang Yang, UCLA’s Carol and Lawrence E. Tannas Jr. Professor of Engineering.

For the past few years, perovskite solar cells have been thought to be the future of solar power because they could eventually cost less to produce than today’s silicon solar cells and they have the potential to be more energy-efficient. Research on perovskite solar cells dates back only to the early 2010s, but they are already nearly as efficient as silicon solar cells, which have been researched for more than 40 years.

…

They incorporated the new film into a solar cell and tested its ability to withstand high temperatures by placing it on a plate heated to 85 degrees Celsius (about 185 degrees Fahrenheit). Measuring its energy output every four days for two months, the researchers found that the device retained its thermal stability for more than 1,300 hours, or about 55 days, while preserving 86 percent of the energy it took in — a measure called power conversion efficiency.

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https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.04.005

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