Energy Science
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X-rays Reveal How a Solar Cell Gets its Silver Stripes
Scientists have used X-rays to observe exactly how silver electrical contacts form during manufacturing of solar modules.
New Catalyst is Three Times Better at Splitting Water
Their results suggest a more efficient way to store energy from solar and wind power by converting it into renewable fuels.
SLAC X-ray Laser Turns Crystal Imperfections into Better Images of Important Biomolecules
A new study with the LCLS X-ray laser could change the way researchers take atomic-level snapshots of important biological machineries, potentially affecting research in drug development, clean energy production and many more areas.
Putting Silicon ‘Sawdust’ in a Graphene Cage Boosts Battery Performance
Wrapping silicon anode particles in custom-fit graphene cages could solve two major obstacles to using silicon in high-capacity lithium ion batteries.
A Simple Way to Make Lithium-ion Battery Electrodes that Protect Themselves
Menlo Park, Calif. — Scientists at three Department of Energy national laboratories have discovered how to keep a promising new type of lithium ion battery cathode from developing a crusty coating that degrades its performance. The solution: Use a simple manufacturing technique to form the cathode material into tiny, layered particles that store a lot of energy while protecting themselves from damage.
Precourt Institute and TomKat Center Award $2.1 Million for Energy Research
The Precourt Institute for Energy and the TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy at Stanford have awarded 12 faculty seed grants totaling $2.1 million for groundbreaking research on clean energy, including three grants to SLAC-Stanford collaborations.
Researchers Develop 'Invisible Wires' That Could Improve Solar Cell Efficiency
SIMES scientists have discovered how to make the electrical wiring on top of solar cells nearly invisible to incoming light. The new design, which uses silicon nanopillars to hide the wires, could dramatically boost solar-cell efficiency.
A Record-setting Way to Make Transparent Conductors: Spread Them Like Butter on Toast
A process developed by Stanford and SLAC scientists has potential for scaling up to manufacture clear, flexible electrodes for solar cells, displays and other electronics.
SLAC’s Ultrafast ‘Electron Camera’ Visualizes Ripples in 2-D Material
Using a new technology for ultrafast science, researchers have for the first time observed extremely rapid atomic motions in a three-atom-thick layer of a promising material that could be used in next-generation solar cells, electronics and catalysts.
Microscopic Rake Doubles Efficiency of Low-cost Solar Cells
A SLAC/Stanford manufacturing technique could help make inexpensive polymer-based solar cells an attractive alternative to silicon-crystal wafers.
