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Cliff Bramlett 2 years ago diaspora

Solar panels get an espresso boost

Caffeine shown to protect perovskite layers

Perovskites are a relatively recent addition to the world of solar panels but are responsible for increasing solar efficiency past the 19% efficiency barrier of the 1990s and early 2000s. However, as they heat up it has been shown that tunneling at the atomic scale results, lowering the peak efficiency. These researchers have shown that adding caffeine, of all things, to the mix increases the thermal stability of the layers and making them more efficient on top of it.

The superior crystallinity of the PVSK films containing caffeine boast reduced defect densities and better vertical charge transport, allowing for a champion PCE as high as 20.25% (compared to 17% for films without caffeine), he tells Physics World. The caffeine-containing devices are also thermally stable for over 1300 hours at 85°C (compared to just 150 hours for films without caffeine).

https://physicsworld.com/a/caffeine-boosts-perovskite-solar-cells/

#Solar #Perovskite #Material #Physics #Science #CliffBramlettArchivesTech

Caffeine boosts perovskite solar cells

2 people like this

Christoph S 2 years ago diaspora

This is cool! Coffee to the rescue! I wonder how they discovered it? Maybe someone accidentally spilled coffee over the experiment?

Cliff Bramlett 2 years ago diaspora

I wondered that too. "Damn, another fail. I need another coffee... ...hey..."

Christoph S 2 years ago diaspora

Ah the answer is here. So similar to what we thought

The idea of adding caffeine to these materials started out as a joke over morning coffee, recalls team member Jingjing Xue. “One day, as we were discussing perovskite solar cells, our colleague Rui Wang said: ‘if we need coffee to boost our energy, then what about perovskites?’”

Cliff Bramlett 2 years ago diaspora

Hah, I must have skimmed that part. That makes me wonder about details of how caffeine works in the body.

Roy Gardiner 2 years ago diaspora

What an interesting article.the same thought occurred to me, what would have prompted someone to suggest it.
Mind you, I think tea might be even better, as it is in a cuppa. (Duck!)

A. Randomjack 2 years ago diaspora

@Cliff Bramlett Well, if you drink coffee, just try stopping.
Weeks of headaches and bad sleep ahead.
People go to detox centres to stop drinking cola. It is very highly addictive.
A few years ago, I thought of writing a short story on an abrupt coffee unavailability and describing the social chaos that would likely ensue.

Christoph S 2 years ago diaspora

When the coffee machine is broken :
THE TEAM RUNS HELPLESSLY THROUGH THE CORRIDORS, SOME COLLEAGUES ARE MORE INVOLVED IN PROCUREMENT CRIME, THE BOSS CRIES.

Cliff Bramlett 2 years ago diaspora

@A. Randomjack I do understand. I used to drink several sodas a day, quit every few months to be sure I still could, and noticed the headaches came soon after. Then the dentist showed enamel etching, so I just stopped completely. Can't say I see a marked difference except that caffeine has a greater effect now when I do drink it.

I'm surprised at the detox concept though. I think people need willpower training as children. I learned a lot as a child attempting to emulate Native Americans.

A. Randomjack 2 years ago diaspora

Free will is an illusion, or very close to it, we have much less than we believe we have.
Then, not everyone has the same level of tolerance to caffeine and a little % is immune to caffeine addiction.
Will is more akin to a mix of neurotransmitters than to any other definition.
We have over 50 neurotransmitters that change our mood continuously. Thinking we are in control is also a persistent illusion, we can only try to manage, those who can will.
Sugar is also a drug as it too causes addiction.
Or we can see it the other way around...
We have evolved to repeat doing things we like to do, which allows for artists, engineers, doctors etc. In short a wide variety of individuals and like many of our attributes, they can be sort of hijacked.

Cliff Bramlett 2 years ago diaspora

True to a point. I have seen the science behind what you say and yes, things that have happened before do define us, but to a point. I can slow my breathing and heartbeat to a third of what most people consider normal. And I have taught others to do the same. Same with guided meditation. I have seen guided meditation taught to a wide variety of people. It is a common method used to teach combat veterans to manage PTSD. That is the sort of thing I mean by willpower training - not that machismo BS of "pain is weakness leaving the body" and all. Just the zen practice of knowing there are things that can be changed and things that cannot, and focusing one's efforts on those that can. And yes, that is different for each person, but if we learned early to try to find what can be changed we would probably have healthier societies.

Phil Stracchino 2 years ago diaspora

@Cliff Bramlett++