EES Blog

We would like to share with you a selection of very recent high impact articles, published in Energy & Environmental Science covering the range of applications of nanogenerators in the fields of energy and the environment.

On behalf of Editor-in-Chief Nathan Lewis (Caltech) we invite you to submit your best research to Energy & Environmental Science.

Energy & Environmental Science ranked #1 in its field. With an Impact Factor of 9.61, which is rising fast, it the ideal place to publish your research.

Read this high-impact nanogenerator research today (some of which is free to access for a limited period):

Reviews

FREE: Nanotechnology-enabled flexible and biocompatible energy harvesting
Yi Qi and Michael C. McAlpine
DOI: 10.1039/C0EE00137F

FREE: Nanostructured solar cells harvesting multi-type energies
Liang Li, Shimou Chen, Xuebin Wang, Yoshio Bando and Dmitri Golberg
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE03226K

Original Research

FREE: Simultaneously Harvesting Mechanical and Chemical Energies by a Hybrid Cell for Self-Powered Biosensors and Personal Electronics
Ya Yang, Hulin Zhang, Jun Chen, Sangmin Lee, Te-Chien Hou and Zhonglin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40764K

FREE: Highly sensitive stretchable transparent piezoelectric nanogenerators
Ju-Hyuck Lee, Keun Young Lee, Brijesh Kumar, Nguyen Thanh Tien, Nae-Eung Lee and Sang-Woo Kim
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23530G

FREE: Engineering of efficiency limiting free carriers and an interfacial energy barrier for an enhancing piezoelectric generation
Jung Inn Sohn, Seung Nam Cha, Byong Gwon Song, Sanghyo Lee, Seong Min Kim, JiYeon Ku, Hyun Jin Kim, Young Jun Park, Byoung Lyong Choi, Zhong Lin Wang, Jong Min Kim and Kinam Kim
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23404A

FREE: Paper-based Nanogenerator As Power Source and Active Sensor
Qize Zhong, Junwen Zhong, Bin Hu, Qiyi Hu, Jun Zhou and Zhonglin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40592C

FREE: Self-powered environmental sensor system driven by nanogenerators
Minbaek Lee, Joonho Bae, Joohyung Lee, Churl-Seung Lee, Seunghun Hong and Zhong Lin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE01558C

FREE: Reliable operation of a nanogenerator under ultraviolet light via engineering piezoelectric potential Thanh Toan Pham, Keun Young Lee, Ju-Hyuck Lee, Kwon-Ho Kim, Kyung-Sik Shin, Manoj K. Gupta, Brijesh Kumar and Sang-Woo Kim
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23980A

A self-powered electrochromic device driven by a nanogenerator
Xiaohong Yang, Guang Zhu, Sihong Wang, Rui Zhang, Long Lin, Wenzhou Wu and Zhonglin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23194H

Enhancement of piezoelectricity via electrostatic effects on a textile platform
Hyunjin Kim, Seong Min Kim, Hyungbin Son, Hyeok Kim, BoongIk Park, JiYeon Ku, Jung Inn Sohn, Kyuhyun Im, Jae Eun Jang, Jong-Jin Park, Ohyun Kim, SeungNam Cha and Young Jun Park
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22744D

A high performance PZT ribbon-based nanogenerator using graphene transparent electrodes
Junggou Kwon, Wanchul Seung, Bhupendra K. Sharma, Sang-Woo Kim and Jong-Hyun Ahn
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22251E

Nanogenerator as an active sensor for vortex capture and ambient wind-velocity detection
Rui Zhang, Long Lin, Qingshen Jing, Wenzhuo Wu, Yan Zhang, Zongxia Jiao, Liang Yan, Ray P. S. Han and Zhong Lin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22354F

PVDF microbelts for harvesting energy from respiration
Chengliang Sun, Jian Shi, Dylan J. Bayerl and Xudong Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02241E

An elastic-spring-substrated nanogenerator as an active sensor for self-powered balance
Long Lin, Qingshen Jing, Yan Zhang, Youfan Hu, Sihong Wang, Yoshio Bando, Ray P. S. Han and Zhonglin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE00107E

Control of naturally coupled piezoelectric and photovoltaic properties for multi-type energy scavengers
Dukhyun Choi, Keun Young Lee, Mi-Jin Jin, Soo-Ghang Ihn, Sungyoung Yun, Xavier Bulliard, Woong Choi, Sang Yoon Lee, Sang-Woo Kim, Jae-Young Choi, Jong Min Kim and Zhong Lin Wang
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02080C

We would like to share with you a selection of very recent high impact articles, published in Energy & Environmental Science covering the range of applications of flexible nanotechnologies in the fields of energy and the environment.

On behalf of Editor-in-Chief Nate Lewis (Caltech) we invite you to submit your best research to Energy & Environmental Science.

Energy & Environmental Science ranked #1 in its field. With an Impact Factor of 9.61, which is rising fast, it the ideal place to publish your research.

Read this high-impact flexible nanotechnology research today (some of which is free to access for a limited period):

Reviews and Analysis

FREE: Energy and environmental nanotechnology in conductive paper and textiles
Liangbing Hu and Yi Cui
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE02414D

FREE: Stretchable, elastic materials and devices for solar energy conversion
Darren J. Lipomi and Zhenan Bao
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE01881G

FREE: Progress in Flexible Energy Storage and Conversion Systems, with a Focus on Cable-Type  Lithium-Ion Battery
Sang-Young Lee, Keun-Ho Choi, Woo-Sung Choi, Yo Han Kwon, Hye-Rnn Jung, Heon-Cheol Shin and Je Young Kim
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24260A

FREE: Nanostructured solar cells harvesting multi-type energies
Liang Li, Shimou Chen, Xuebin Wang, Yoshio Bando and Dmitri Golberg
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE03226K

Original Research

FREE: Carbon coated textiles for flexible energy storage
Kristy Jost, Carlos R. Perez, John K. McDonough, Volker Presser, Min Heon, Genevieve Dion and Yury Gogotsi
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02421C

FREE: Flexible energy storage devices based on graphene paper
Hyeokjo Gwon, Hyun-Suk Kim, Kye Ung Lee, Dong-Hwa Seo, Yun Chang Park, Yun-Sung Lee, Byung Tae Ahn and Kisuk Kang
DOI: 10.1039/C0EE00640H

FREE: Biodegradable Transparent Substrates for Flexible Organic-Light-Emitting Diodes
Hongli Zhu, Zhengguo Xiao, Detao Liu, Yuanyuan Li, Nicholas J. Weadock, Jinsong Huang, Liangbing Hu and Zhiqiang Fang
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40492G

Fabrication of flexible all-inorganic nanocrystal solar cells by room-temperature processing
Anna Loiudice, Aurora Rizzo, Giulia Grancini, Mariano Biasiucci, Maria R. Belviso, Michela Corricelli, M. Lucia Curri, Marinella Striccoli, Angela Agostiano, P. Davide Cozzoli, Annamaria Petrozza, Guglielmo Lanzani and Giuseppe Gigli
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE23928D

A novel wrap-around metal contact optimized for radial p-n junction Si wire solar cells
Sunmi Shin, Jin-Young Jung, Kwangtae Park, Handon Um, Sangwon Jee, Yoonho Nam and Jung-Ho Lee
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24494F

High-performance hybrid plastic films: a robust electrode platform for thin-film optoelectronics
Jungho Jin, Jaemin Lee, Seonju Jeong, SeungCheol Yang, Ji-Hoon Ko, Hyeon-Gyun Im, Se-Woong Baek, Jung-Yong Lee and Byeong-Soo Bae
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24306K

TCO-free flexible monolithic back-contact dye-sensitized solar cells
Dongchuan Fu ,  Patrick Lay and Udo Bach
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE24338A

Thermopower enhancement in conducting polymer nanocomposites via carrier energy scattering at the organic–inorganic semiconductor interface
Ming He, Jing Ge, Zhiqun Lin, Xuhui Feng, Xinwei Wang, Hongbin Lu, Yuliang Yang and Feng Qiu
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE21803H

Polypyrrole-coated paper for flexible solid-state energy storage
Longyan Yuan, Bin Yao, Bin Hu, Kaifu Huo, Wen Chen and Jun Zhou
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE23977A

Flexible PEDOT electrodes with large thermoelectric power factors to generate electricity by the touch of fingertips
Teahoon Park, Chihyun Park, Byeonggwan Kim, Haejin Shin and Eunkyoung Kim
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE23729J

Integrated power fiber for energy conversion and storage
Yongping Fu, Hongwei Wu, Shuyang Ye, Xin Cai, Xiao Yu, Shaocong Hou, Hanny Kafafy and Dechun Zou
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE23970E

Oriented hierarchical single crystalline anatase TiO2 nanowire arrays on Ti-foil substrate for efficient flexible dye-sensitized solar cells
Jin-Yun Liao, Bing-Xin Lei, Hong-Yan Chen, Dai-Bin Kuang and Cheng-Yong Su
DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02766B

Inverted polymer solar cells with 8.4% efficiency by conjugated polyelectrolyte
Tingbin Yang, Ming Wang, Chunhui Duan, Xiaowen Hu, Lin Huang, Junbiao Peng, Fei Huang and Xiong Gong
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22296E

A flexible nanostructured sulphur–carbon nanotube cathode with high rate performance for Li-S batteries
Guangmin Zhou, Da-Wei Wang, Feng Li, Peng-Xiang Hou, Lichang Yin, Chang Liu, Gao Qing (Max) Lu, Ian R. Gentle and Hui-Ming Cheng
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE22294A

Highly durable and flexible dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated on plastic substrates: PVDF-nanofiber-reinforced TiO2 photoelectrodes
Yuelong Li, Doh-Kwon Lee, Jin Young Kim, BongSoo Kim, Nam-Gyu Park, Kyungkon Kim, Joong-Ho Shin, In-Suk Choi and Min Jae Ko
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE21674D

Integrated energy storage and electrochromic function in one flexible device: an energy storage smart window
Kai Wang, Haiping Wu, Yuena Meng, Yajie Zhang and Zhixiang Wei
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE21643D

High-performance flexible lithium-ion electrodes based on robust network architecture
Xilai Jia, Zheng Chen, Arnold Suwarnasarn, Lynn Rice, Xiaolei Wang, Hiesang Sohn, Qiang Zhang, Benjamin M. Wu, Fei Wei and Yunfeng Lu
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE03110H

Plasma modified flexible bucky paper as an efficient counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells
Soumyendu Roy, Reeti Bajpai, Ajay Kumar Jena, Pragyensh Kumar, Neha kulshrestha and D. S. Misra
DOI: 10.1039/C2EE03519G

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Jian Liu and Markus Antonietti, of the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, have made a significant advance in carbon nitride photocatalysis. They impressively demonstrate the use of a bioinspired photosynthetic membrane in the photocatalytic regeneration of NADH without an electron mediator in their recent EES Communication.

The authors constructed their artificial photosynthesis system from a green and sustainable material called diatomite by an “incipient wetness impregnation” method. The graphitic carbon nitride photocatalyst was designed with a diatom frustule structure that imitates diatoms, which are unicellular photosynthetic organisms responsible for around one-fifth of the global photosynthesis yield.

Interest in applying enzymes for organic synthesis is increasing, due to their high efficiency and regioselectivity. However, enzyme-specific co-factors are costly and the procedure of enzyme-catalysed regeneration of NAD(P)H is complicated. An efficient and sustainable method for the regeneration of NADH is vital. Photosystem I, an integral membrane protein complex, uses light energy to mediate electron transfer for the reduction of NADP to NADPH, storing the light energy in chemical “currency”. Imitating the function of Photosystem I is very promising, cost effective and inherently sustainable.

Read this exciting Communication today:

Bio-inspired NADH regeneration by carbon nitride photocatalysis using diatom templates
Jian Liu and Markus Antonietti
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40696B

Seth Darling and co-workers from the USA describe methods to achieve better consistency in high performance of organic solar cells in their recent EES paper.

Batch-to-batch variation in performance of organic solar cells is a well-known problem, for which the underlying causes have been unclear so far. Trace impurities from residual catalyst material, used to synthesise the polymers in these devices, are known to affect device performance. Before now, no technique has been developed for identifying and quantifying impurities, even though they can cause issues with irreproducible optoelectronic function.

The group from Argonne National Laboratory, The University of Chicago and Northwestern University have shown that synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence can detect and quantify trace concentrations of metal impurities in organic solar cell systems. They have also identified the threshold concentration at which performance degrades and the mechanism for the degradation.

Read the details in their paper today:

Detection and role of trace impurities in high-performance organic solar cells
Maxim P. Nikiforov, Barry Lai, Wei Chen, Si Chen, Richard D. Schaller, Joseph Strzalka, Jörg Maser and Seth B. Darling
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40556G

Yang Shao-Horn, from MIT, and her co-workers report a novel and interesting study of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis on epitaxial perovskite thin films of different Mn valance states.

They were able to demonstrate conclusively that Mn³⁺, not Mn⁴⁺ or Mn²⁺, is the active species for ORR. They also revealed that the substrate can greatly alter the ORR activities of oxide films of a few nanometers in thickness by interfacial charge transfer.

Their findings are very important for the future design of nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical conversion and storage.

Alkaline fuel cells and metal–air batteries are promising carbon-neutral energy sources. However, these devices suffer from efficiency loss due to the slow ORR kinetics, and the cost of precious metal catalysts required to catalyze the ORR. LaMnO₃-based oxides have previously been  found to be among the most active for the ORR with activities comparable to that of Pt. However, ambiguity has existed until now as to which Mn valence state on the surface is responsible for the high ORR activity.

Read this HOT article today:

Oxygen electrocatalysis on (001)-oriented manganese perovskite films: Mn valency and charge transfer at the nanoscale
Kelsey A. Stoerzinger, Marcel Risch, Jin Suntivich, W. M. Lü, Jigang Zhou, Michael D. Biegalski, Hans M. Christen, Ariando, T. Venkatesan and Yang Shao-Horn
DOI: 10.1039/C3EE40321A

George Zhao and co-authors from Australia and China have written an excellent review of graphene-based electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage.

Read this timely summary of the field today: