'Inverse opal' structure improves thin-film solar cells

(Phys.org) —Researchers have shown how to increase the efficiency of thin-film solar cells, a technology that could bring low-cost solar energy. The approach uses 3-D "photonic crystals" to absorb more sunlight than conventional ...

Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen

Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap ...

Through the thin-film glass, researchers spot a new liquid phase

Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes a new type of liquid in thin films, which forms a high-density glass. Results generated in this study, conducted by researchers in Penn's ...

Physicists discover mechanisms of wrinkle and crumple formation

Smooth wrinkles and sharply crumpled regions are familiar motifs in biological and synthetic sheets, such as plant leaves and crushed foils, say physicists Benny Davidovitch, Narayanan Menon and colleagues at the University ...

Thermoelectric materials can be much more efficient

Researchers from the University of Twente's MESA+ research institute have managed to significantly improve the efficiency of a thermoelectric material. Because of their unique qualities, these materials can convert waste ...

Technology could bring high-end solar to the masses

Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed an inexpensive new way to grow thin films of a material prized in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries, an achievement that could bring high-end ...

Atomic snapshots show fast ion migration in ultra-thin clays

Research led by The University of Manchester has found that ions diffuse 10,000 times faster inside atomically thin clays than in bulk clay crystals. Clays are used in a wide variety of membrane applications, so this result ...

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