Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells最新文献

{"title":"UV-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells: Hydrogen dynamics and impact of UV wavelength","authors":"Muhammad Umair Khan ,&nbsp;Chandany Sen ,&nbsp;Michael Pollard ,&nbsp;Ting Huang ,&nbsp;Munan Gao ,&nbsp;Ruirui Lv ,&nbsp;Yuanjie Yu ,&nbsp;Xinyuan Wu ,&nbsp;Haoran Wang ,&nbsp;Xutao Wang ,&nbsp;Bram Hoex","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113895","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113895","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells dominate the worldwide photovoltaic market due to their high efficiency and low manufacturing costs. However, recent reliability studies have shown that TOPCon solar cells and modules can degrade significantly under ultraviolet (UV) radiation, known as UV-induced degradation (UVID). The effect of UV radiation on TOPCon solar cells, particularly concerning the role of hydrogen and wavelength dependence in the UV range, remains ambiguous, highlighting the need for further investigation. This study uses UV-A and UV-B exposure to understand the impact of UV on TOPCon precursors and lifetime structures. We demonstrate that UV-B and UV-A exposures lead to the same extent of degradation, although the process occurs significantly faster under UV-B, indicating that UV-B can be used for accelerated UV degradation testing. Notably, no Light- and elevated Temperature-Induced Degradation (LeTID) was observed when samples were exposed to UV radiation; in contrast, LeTID was observed when samples were exposed to the same temperatures without UV radiation. This suggests that UV radiation not only alters the surface but also influences hydrogen dynamics within the bulk, consistent with LeTID being a hydrogen-related bulk defect. Time of flights secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis further supports these findings by revealing an increased hydrogen concentration at the AlO_x/(p⁺)Si interface after <span>UV</span> exposure. This can be attributed to the fact that UV radiation is able to break Si-H bonds, where the free hydrogen can redistribute into a bonded or unbonded state in the sample. In addition, the breaking of Si-H bonds at the silicon interface increases the interface defect density and, thus, surface recombination. The rear side of the TOPCon precursor exhibited no significant degradation, as the poly-Si layer effectively absorbs UV radiation below 370 nm, shielding the tunnel oxide layer and rendering the rear side relatively resistant to UVID. This work contributes to the understanding of UVID mechanisms in TOPCon solar cells and provides insights for developing effective mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"294 ","pages":"Article 113895"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144809716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early degradation of silicon heterojunction PV modules installed on horizontal single-axis trackers in desert climate","authors":"A.A. Abdallah ,&nbsp;M. Kivambe ,&nbsp;M. Abdelrahim ,&nbsp;M. Elgaili ,&nbsp;A. Ahmed ,&nbsp;K. Mroue ,&nbsp;O. Stroyuk ,&nbsp;O. Mashkov ,&nbsp;I.M. Peters ,&nbsp;C. Buerhop-Lutz","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present our latest findings on the early degradation of photovoltaic (PV) silicon heterojunction (HJT) modules installed in harsh desert climates for about two and half years. The results are compared with the benchmark modules with monofacial and bifacial passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) and passivated emitter rear totally diffused (PERT) technologies installed on a horizontal single-axis tracker (HSAT). These findings showed an early degradation of 62 % of the inspected PV modules induced by their field exposure to a desert climate. Ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) imaging showed signatures of early degradation of encapsulant materials, while near-infrared absorption spectroscopy (NIRA) identified PV module materials in the field. We found evidence of the use of different encapsulant materials and different variants of the same encapsulant materials by the module manufacturer. In contrast to the PERC PV modules with thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and polyolefin elastomer (POE) encapsulants, HJT modules with TPO encapsulants showed distinct UVF patterns indicating early degradation. Similarly, all the HJT PV modules with POE and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant showed UVF degradation patterns. The PERC-2 PV modules exhibited UVF degradation patterns as well but with no significant change in the maximum power <em>P</em>_max. While the <em>P</em>_max of the HJT-1, HJT-2a, and HJT-2b dropped by −5.9 %, −3.0 %, and −7.3 %, respectively. The study showed that harsh desert climate induces early encapsulant aging, particularly, glass-glass modules showing the importance of encapsulant material selection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"294 ","pages":"Article 113899"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on the removal of volatile impurities from diamond wire saw silicon powder via vacuum refining","authors":"Xiangqian Zhu ,&nbsp;Qiannuo Bao ,&nbsp;Jijun Wu ,&nbsp;Kuixian Wei ,&nbsp;Wenhui Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increasing annual output of diamond wire saw silicon powder (DWSSP) from photovoltaic (PV) wafer production, the recovery and purification of silicon from DWSSP are crucial for producing high-purity silicon. This study investigated the migration mechanism of impurity elements during the vacuum refining process of DWSSP through kinetic analysis. The dynamic relationship between impurity removal efficiency and the mass transfer coefficient was examined using a volatile mass transfer model at the gas–liquid interface. At a melting temperature of 1700 K, the removal of impurity elements (including Na, K, and Ca) was controlled by diffusion in the melt boundary layer. In contrast, P and Mn removal were dominated by surface volatilization. Comparative experiments confirmed that the combination of acid leaching pretreatment and vacuum refining eliminated the oxide encapsulation effect, thereby reducing impurity levels. After acid leaching, DWSSP was processed under optimized parameters (a vacuum of 10⁻³–10⁻² Pa, a furnace chamber melting temperature of 1823 K, and a holding time of 120 min). The residual concentrations of P, Na, K, Ca, and Mn were 0.84, 4.33, &lt;2.80, and 0.22 ppmw, respectively, with the Log Reduction Value (removal rates) of 1.058(91.30 %), 2.166(99.32 %), 1.809(97.80 %), 1.087(91.71 %), and 2.482(99.65 %). These results indicate that acid leaching and fire vacuum melting can effectively eliminate impurity elements from DWSSP, and the recovered silicon is likely to achieve a 6 N purity level. which holds significant practical implications for promoting the sustainable development and low-carbon transformation of the PV industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113879"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First principles investigation of dopants and defect complexes in CdSexTe1−x","authors":"Md Habibur Rahman ,&nbsp;Srisuda Rojsatien ,&nbsp;Dmitry Krasikov ,&nbsp;Maria K.Y. Chan ,&nbsp;Mariana Bertoni ,&nbsp;Arun Mannodi-Kanakkithodi","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Se alloying is a common approach to improve the performance of CdTe solar cells by tuning the bandgap, defect levels, and carrier density. A fundamental understanding of these improvements, specifically the effect of Se alloying on the behavior of defects and dopants in CdTe, remains unclear. In this work, we present a density functional theory (DFT) study of point defect energetics in CdTe and CdSe<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>Te<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> with x = 0.25, leading to a comparison of how native defects, dopants (As and Cu), impurities (Cl and O), and related defect complexes behave in CdTe vs CdSe<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>Te<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>. Our calculations, performed by combining semi-local and nonlocal hybrid functionals, show a general lowering of the formation energies of native defects as well as substitutional defects formed by As and Cl upon Se addition. For successful p-type doping with As, destabilizing Cl-based defects in the CdSeTe lattice would be essential. We find evidence for some low-energy defect complexes of As, Cl, and O in CdSe_0.25Te_0.75. The computed defect formation energies further enable estimates of temperature-dependent defect concentrations and self-consistent Fermi levels. A comparison of defect energetics with the energies of impurity phases reveals that As, Cu, Cl, and O overwhelmingly prefer being segregated to unwanted As₂O₅, AsCl₃, Cd₂AsCl₂, and CuO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> phases rather than remain at defect sites, but such segregation is less likely to happen in CdSe_0.25Te_0.75 than in CdTe. Overall, our work presents a list of likely defects and complexes in CdTe and Se-incorporated CdTe, paving the way to explain and mitigate limited dopant activation in experimental observations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113857"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recycling of waste crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules: Efficient decapsulation and silver extraction using environmental-friendly reagents and deep eutectic solvents","authors":"Jiahua Lu,&nbsp;Chunmu Wang,&nbsp;Yusen Wu,&nbsp;Jie Zhu,&nbsp;Jujun Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113882","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113882","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The transformation of the global energy structure has driven the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry, inevitably leading to the generation of upgraded and end-of-life photovoltaic waste. Effective treatment of this waste is crucial for environmental protection and advancing the circular economy. Crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, which dominate the market, contain high-value recyclable materials such as plate glass and silver. Decapsulation, the critical first step in recycling, enables the separation of layered panel materials. This study employs environmental-friendly isopropyl myristate and diethyl malonate for decapsulation, achieving optimal processing within 60 min. These reagents retained high purity and generated minimal byproducts even after 40 reuse cycles, demonstrating excellent reusability. The characteristic functional group peaks of the ethylene vinyl acetate encapsulant remained unchanged, with only variations in peak intensity. The disruption and reorganization of its cross-linked structure weakened its adhesion to other panel layers. These reagents exhibited limited leaching effects on Ag from solar cells, facilitating subsequent Ag recovery. A stable deep eutectic solvents synthesized from FeCl₃·6H₂O and urea demonstrated low melting points of approximately −25.98 °C (molar ratio 1:1) and −54.09 °C (molar ratio 1:3). This deep eutectic solvents efficiently enriched Ag from delaminated solar cells, achieving a 93.55 % Ag extraction rate (20 min, 80 °C, 400 rpm). This study combines the wet decapsulation of photovoltaic modules with the Ag extraction of solar cells. The eco-friendly reagents adopted provide new guidance for the recycling of waste photovoltaic modules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113882"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis and impact of impurity defects on efficiency and stability of mass-produced cast monocrystalline silicon wafers and solar cells","authors":"Guixiu Li ,&nbsp;Shuai Yuan ,&nbsp;Dongli Hu ,&nbsp;Yunfei Xu ,&nbsp;Liang He ,&nbsp;Xijia Luo ,&nbsp;Hongrong Chen ,&nbsp;Zhenchao Hong ,&nbsp;Lei Yang ,&nbsp;Lei Wang ,&nbsp;Fei Wang ,&nbsp;Sensen Zhi ,&nbsp;Fengming Zhang ,&nbsp;Shenglang Zhou ,&nbsp;Huali Zhang ,&nbsp;Chen Wang ,&nbsp;Jianmin Li ,&nbsp;Da You ,&nbsp;Xuegong Yu ,&nbsp;Deren Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cast monocrystalline silicon (CM-Si), produced via a low-cost, low-carbon-emission casting method, accommodates low-purity silicon feedstock but faces challenges in controlling high-concentration impurities and defects. Prior studies lack comprehensive assessments of defect distribution and their effects across entire ingots. This study characterizes impurity defects in CM-Si ingots, fabricating over 3000 low-cost, high-efficiency metal wrap through passivated emitter and rear contact solar cells to quantify the impact of defects on performance degradation. We analyzed defect influence on cell stability through photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and root-cause investigations. Over 70 % of CM-Si cells approach Czochralski silicon efficiencies, yet dislocation clusters drive a notable low-efficiency tail. This work highlights key barriers to CM-Si adoption and guides future improvements in defect management for enhanced photovoltaic competitiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113877"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144748660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advanced layer-by-layer assembled porous rGO–Carbon architectures for efficient and stable electro-thermal energy control","authors":"Shuping Wu ,&nbsp;Chaopei Chen ,&nbsp;Zainab M.H. El-Qahtani ,&nbsp;Somia Yassin Hussain Abdalkarim ,&nbsp;Yuheng Liu ,&nbsp;Norah Alsairy ,&nbsp;Hou-Yong Yu ,&nbsp;Haicheng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amid growing global concerns about environmental pollution and the energy crisis, cellulose-based carbon aerogels have generated significant interest as effective phase change materials for solar thermal energy storage technologies. To enhance light absorption and minimize leakage, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can be incorporated into carbon aerogels, providing photothermal properties that quickly respond to light stimuli and thereby addressing the escalating demand for multifunctional applications. In this work, rGO films were coated on aerogel derived from waste pomelo peels (PA) using a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly process, followed by high-temperature carbonization to create a three-dimensional, hierarchically porous carbon aerogel (CPA-rGOs). Subsequently, CPA-rGOs were vacuum-impregnated with n-octacosane as the phase change material, resulting in a high loading rate of 92.9 % and the formation of shape-stable composites (OCPA-rGOs). The OCPA-rGOs composites exhibited a low leakage rate of only 4 % by mass of n-octacosane and a high thermal storage capacity of 278.1 J/g. Additionally, CPA-rGO₁ exhibited the highest compressive strength of 448 kPa, along with excellent cyclic compression stability. Meanwhile, the OCPA-rGOs exhibit enhanced thermal and electrical conductivities, as well as thermosensitive behavior, which enables their integration into building circuits as adaptive thermal sensors. The OCPA-rGOs exhibit an exceptional solar–thermal conversion efficiency of 91.6 %. Additionally, the phase change process of the OCPA-rGO composites can be efficiently triggered by a direct current; a 10 V power supply raises the temperature to 79 °C within 8 min. Overall, these multifunctional properties make the developed OCPA-rGOs promising candidates for next-generation electro-thermal management systems in smart buildings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113874"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144748661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"AZO-coated refractory nanoneedles as ultra-black wide-angle solar absorbers","authors":"I. González de Arrieta ,&nbsp;T. Echániz ,&nbsp;E.B. Rubin ,&nbsp;K.M. Chung ,&nbsp;R. Chen ,&nbsp;G.A. López","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanoneedles fabricated from refractory materials, such as copper cobaltate, are promising materials for solar energy conversion due to their favorable light-trapping properties at high temperatures. We demonstrate that coating these materials with a thin aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layer improves their optical properties dramatically, leading to a very low (<span><math><mrow><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>1</mn><mtext>%</mtext></mrow></math></span>) reflectance in a wide spectral range, from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared (<span><math><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> <span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>m). This advantageous property is present even at very large angles of incidence (<span><math><mrow><mi>θ</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>70</mn><mo>°</mo></mrow></math></span>), which makes this material attractive for increasing the acceptance angle of central-receiver concentrating solar power systems or as an ultra-black diffuse optical component for infrared imaging systems. Finally, the exceptionally high emissivity of this material in the near- and mid-infrared at temperatures up to 600 °C proves that its optical properties are thermally resistant and suggests that the material can be used as a high-temperature alternative to ultra-black coatings made of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113840"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of free oxygen concentration in glass structures with different B/Ga ratios on the metallization of p+ emitter during laser-enhanced contact optimization","authors":"Yinghu Sun ,&nbsp;Qian Li ,&nbsp;Hui Wang ,&nbsp;Shenghua Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boron-doped n-type tunnel oxide-passivated contact (n-TOPCon) solar cells are the mainstream products in the current photovoltaic market. Laser-enhanced contact optimization (LECO) technology is regarded as an effective solution for reducing contact resistance and metal-induced recombination. Herein, from the perspective of glass frits, the influence of free oxygen concentration in the glass network structure on the metallization of the p⁺ emitter during the LECO process was studied by changing the mass ratio of B₂O₃ and Ga₂O₃. The results showed that the O²⁻ provided in the glass network with a B/Ga ratio of 6 gradually transforms the [BO₃] units into [BO₄] units. The improvement of thermal stability was conducive to the uniform diffusion of molten glass on the surface of Si wafers. The high temperature melting contact angle curve exhibited a notable convergence, demonstrating the optimum high-temperature wettability. The uninterrupted glass layer facilitated the chemical reduction of Ag⁺ ions on the p⁺ emitter. Additionally, it created favorable conditions for forming Ag-Si alloys during the LECO process. The continuous glass layers reduced Ag⁺ to Ag crystals during the initial sintering process and was uniformly deposited on the surface of the emitter. The local current passed preferentially through the position of the Ag bulk, forming an effective Ag-Si alloying. Chemical reduction and LECO processes have established the optimal metallized contact between the Ag paste and the p⁺ emitter. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of n-TOPCon solar cells had been further enhanced.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113878"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and characterization of coconut oil-based phase change material integrated flexible polyurethane biocomposites for thermal energy storage applications","authors":"Abid Ustaoğlu ,&nbsp;Saman Menbari ,&nbsp;Osman Gencel ,&nbsp;Ercan Aydoğmuş ,&nbsp;Ahmet Sarı ,&nbsp;Bülent Yeşilata ,&nbsp;Togay Ozbakkaloglu ,&nbsp;Orhan Uzun","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With growing global energy demand and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, developing sustainable materials with thermal energy storage capabilities has become essential. This study introduces, for the first time, a flexible polyurethane biocomposite (FPB) containing directly integrated unencapsulated coconut oil-based phase change material (CO-PCM), without micro-shells or encapsulation. This novel approach simplifies fabrication, reduces cost, and enhances thermal and mechanical performance through direct polymer–phase change material interaction. Flexible polyurethane biocomposites incorporating varying concentrations (0 %, 15 %, 30 %, and 45 %) of CO-PCM were synthesized using a two-step method involving polyether polyol, isocyanate, and a catalyst. Increasing CO-PCM content improved the physical and thermal properties of the composites. At 45 wt% CO-PCM, bulk-density increased by 51 %, Shore A hardness by over 43 %, and tensile strength by 14 %, while strain decreased from 82 % to 53 %. Thermal conductivity improved by 15 %, and activation energy rose by 30 %, indicating enhanced thermal stability. The composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermoregulation tests showed that the FPB with 45 % CO-PCM reduced peak surface temperatures by up to 6.8 °C during the day and retained 2.4 °C more heat at night, contributing to stable indoor thermal conditions. Energy simulations across four climate zones revealed that FPB-45 could reduce heating energy demand by up to 26 % compared to conventional expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation. CO₂ emission analysis indicated up to 10 kg/m² annual reduction, and up to $1.80/m² annual savings when using fuel oil, proving its technical and economic viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 113875"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}