Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01862-1
Jiehao Fu, Hongxiang Li, Heng Liu, Peihao Huang, Haiyan Chen, Patrick W. K. Fong, Top Archie Dela Peña, Mingjie Li, Xinhui Lu, Pei Cheng, Zeyun Xiao, Shirong Lu, Gang Li
{"title":"Two-step crystallization modulated through acenaphthene enabling 21% binary organic solar cells and 83.2% fill factor","authors":"Jiehao Fu, Hongxiang Li, Heng Liu, Peihao Huang, Haiyan Chen, Patrick W. K. Fong, Top Archie Dela Peña, Mingjie Li, Xinhui Lu, Pei Cheng, Zeyun Xiao, Shirong Lu, Gang Li","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01862-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41560-025-01862-1","url":null,"abstract":"The crystallization dynamics of non-fullerene acceptors influences the morphology and charge dynamics of the resulting organic solar cells, ultimately determining device performance. However, optimizing the molecular arrangement of donor and acceptor materials within the active layer remains challenging. Here we control the crystallization kinetics of non-fullerene acceptors with a crystallization-regulating agent, acenaphthene. Acenaphthene changes the self-organization of acceptor molecules by inducing a two-step crystallization: it first fixes the packing motif of the acceptor and then refines the crystallized framework, leading to highly oriented acceptors in the active layer. This forms several charge-transport pathways that improve the charge-transport properties of the device. As a result, efficiencies of 20.9% (20.4% certified) and 21% (20.5% certified) are achieved in D18/L8-BO and PM1/L8-BO-X binary organic solar cells, respectively, with a maximum fill factor of 83.2% (82.2% certified). The result is a step forward in the development of organic solar cells. Optimizing the crystallization of the active materials in organic solar cells is challenging. Fu et al. use an acenaphthene additive to induce a two-step crystallization of the non-fullerene acceptor, achieving a certified 20.5% power conversion efficiency.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"10 10","pages":"1251-1261"},"PeriodicalIF":60.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145341992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01855-0
{"title":"A broader view of energy","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01855-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41560-025-01855-0","url":null,"abstract":"Although central to the global energy mix, certain technologies like nuclear energy receive comparatively little attention at Nature Energy. We aim to reflect the diversity of innovation driving the energy transition, including critical advances in systems design and engineering that enable these technologies.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"10 9","pages":"1041-1041"},"PeriodicalIF":60.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-025-01855-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145204891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Solution-processed kesterite solar module with 10.1% certified efficiency","authors":"Chunxu Xiang, Mingjun Yuan, Chuan’an Ding, Yuanyuan Zheng, Yize Li, Xiaole Hu, Jie Zhang, Xinyu Li, Chengfeng Ma, Shaoying Wang, Weibo Yan, Chunlei Yang, Wei Huang, Hao Xin","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01860-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01860-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Solution processing has great advantages for emerging thin-film solar cells but remains a big challenge for multielemental inorganic films due to complicated phase evolution and grain growth during crystallization. Here we report the fabrication of uniform, large-area Cu<sub>2</sub>ZnSn(S,Se)<sub>4</sub> (CZTSSe) films and solar modules from solution. By tuning the thiourea/metal ratio to increase film porosity—thereby promoting more uniform vertical reaction and lateral grain growth—we improved the uniformity of CZTSSe films and achieved a single-cell efficiency of 13.4% and a solar module efficiency of 8.91%. We further optimized the module structure to reduce non-ideal contact and patterning-induced shunt and resistive losses, resulting in a champion CZTSSe module with a National Renewable Energy Laboratory-certified efficiency of 10.1%. This module also exhibits the lowest cell-to-module loss in open circuit voltage and current density among state-of-the-art emerging thin-film solar modules. Our work demonstrates the viability of solution processing to deposit uniform, large-area CZTSSe film and efficient solar modules, advancing the development of the technology.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145059595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01859-w
{"title":"Affinity-driven electrolyte design","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01859-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41560-025-01859-w","url":null,"abstract":"A quantitative theory based on cation–solvent and anion–solvent affinity has been developed to elucidate the solvation microstructure of electrolytes. This unified framework can simultaneously predict electrolyte structure, transport properties, and interfacial behaviour. Thus, the framework provides a solvent-specific design platform for the development of high-performance electrolytes.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"10 9","pages":"1060-1061"},"PeriodicalIF":60.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145032032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01825-6
{"title":"Alternative divertor configurations improve fusion power exhaust control","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01825-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41560-025-01825-6","url":null,"abstract":"Shaping the magnetic configuration in the power exhaust region brings major advantages to addressing the challenge of controlling the power exhaust in nuclear fusion. Power exhaust control in these alternative configurations is now demonstrated in the MAST-U nuclear fusion experiment, offering an increased ability to passively absorb disturbances.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"10 9","pages":"1062-1063"},"PeriodicalIF":60.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145032072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01869-8
Peng Li, Yu Mao, Heejong Shin, Qi Yang, Xuan Cheng, Yitong Li, Kangkang Li, Hai Yu, Roger Mulder, Wei Kong Pang, Huanyu Jin, Yong Zhao, Zhi Zheng, Emily Finch, Kyle Hearn, Baohua Jia, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, Ziyun Wang, Tianyi Ma
{"title":"Tandem amine scrubbing and CO2 electrolysis via direct piperazine carbamate reduction","authors":"Peng Li, Yu Mao, Heejong Shin, Qi Yang, Xuan Cheng, Yitong Li, Kangkang Li, Hai Yu, Roger Mulder, Wei Kong Pang, Huanyu Jin, Yong Zhao, Zhi Zheng, Emily Finch, Kyle Hearn, Baohua Jia, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, Ziyun Wang, Tianyi Ma","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01869-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41560-025-01869-8","url":null,"abstract":"Transforming CO2 into valuable products presents a promising route for reducing emissions across various industry sectors. However, conventional methods, including sequential CO2 electrolysis or reverse water–gas shift reaction, depend on energy-intensive CO2 purification; while emerging reactive CO2 capture strategies still face challenges in designing optimal system components that enable efficient electrochemical regeneration without compromising catalytic performance. Here we systematically screen a broad library of amine-based absorbents to establish a design rationale for tandem amine scrubbing and CO2 electrolysis. We identify piperazine as an optimal capture medium and show that its carbamate form can be directly reduced using a nickel single-atom catalyst. This charge-neutral intermediate facilitates spontaneous adsorption, rapid transport and efficient C–N bond cleavage, enabling stable carbon monoxide production alongside in situ amine regeneration. The process achieves an energy efficiency of ~48.8 GJ per tonne CO, offering a scalable and energy efficient pathway towards carbon-neutral chemical feedstocks. Integrating CO2 capture and electrochemical conversion avoids the thermal release of CO2 and thus could potentially lower the energy needed to make useful products from CO2, but choosing optimal system components is still challenging. Here the authors use piperazine alongside a nickel catalyst for capture and achieve high energy efficiency and stable CO production.","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"10 10","pages":"1262-1273"},"PeriodicalIF":60.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145032042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature EnergyPub Date : 2025-09-10DOI: 10.1038/s41560-025-01864-z
Kihoon Kim, Sangjin Yang, Chanhyeok Kim, Jeewon Park, Seokhwan Jeong, Youngmin Kim, Jinsoo Park, Zhe Sun, Minseok Kang, Bong Joo Kang, Juhong Oh, Jae Sung Yun, Seung-Jae Shin, Changduk Yang, Hanul Min
{"title":"Non-volatile solid-state 4-(N-carbazolyl)pyridine additive for perovskite solar cells with improved thermal and operational stability","authors":"Kihoon Kim, Sangjin Yang, Chanhyeok Kim, Jeewon Park, Seokhwan Jeong, Youngmin Kim, Jinsoo Park, Zhe Sun, Minseok Kang, Bong Joo Kang, Juhong Oh, Jae Sung Yun, Seung-Jae Shin, Changduk Yang, Hanul Min","doi":"10.1038/s41560-025-01864-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01864-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Liquid-state 4-<i>tert</i>-butylpyridine is essential for achieving high performance in n–i–p perovskite solar cells. 4-<i>tert</i>- Butylpyridine effectively dissolves the lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide dopant and stabilizes lithium ions. However, its high volatility and corrosive nature can degrade the perovskite layer and promote the formation of byproducts and pinholes in the hole transport layer under thermal stress, ultimately compromising device stability. Here we introduce a non-volatile, solid-state alternative—4-(<i>N</i>-carbazolyl)pyridine (4CP)—which stabilizes lithium ions and facilitates the formation of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide complexes. Perovskite solar cells incorporating 4CP achieve a power conversion efficiency of 26.2% (25.8% certified) and maintain 80% of their initial performance for over 3,000 h at maximum power point tracking. The unencapsulated devices retain 90% of their initial efficiency after 200 thermal shock cycles between −80 °C and 80 °C, and under continuous exposure to 65 °C and 85 °C. The adoption of 4CP could help improve the stability of n–i–p perovskite solar cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":19073,"journal":{"name":"Nature Energy","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":56.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145025854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}