ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 9 automation can create at least 50 times the number of samples than would be feasible with human hands alone. The instrument can also run 24 hours a day for long periods of time with minimal human intervention. Once the data is recorded, researchers can use artificial intelligence or machine learning methods to pan the data for parcels of insight. The scientists say the new system will allow them to quickly and efficiently navigate large, variable spaces within additive manufacturing to develop optimal materials. illinois.edu. COMBINATION TESTING OF PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS According to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colo., perovskite solar cells should be subjected to a combination of stress tests simultaneously to best predict how they will function outdoors. Solar cells must endure a set of harsh conditions—often with variable combinations of changing stress factors—to judge their stability, but most researchers conduct these tests indoors with a few fixed stressing conditions. The NREL-led research team put perovskite solar cells through a battery of tests. During the test for operational stability, the cells retained more than 93% of their maximum efficiency after about 5030 hours of continuous operation. The cells were subjected to thermal cycling, with temperatures repeatedly fluctuating between -40°C and 85°C. After 1000 cycles, the cells showed an average of about 5% degradation. The tests addressed different stressors, such as light and heat, separately. However, in real-world conditions, these individual factors act simultaneously to affect solar cell performance. When combined, for example, light and heat significantly accelerate performance degradation or cause new problems that were otherwise absent or occurring at slower rates when testing separately. The researchers concluded that high temperature and illumination is the most critical combination of stressors for understanding how well a perovskite solar cell will perform outdoors. nrel.gov. Perovskite solar cells should be subjected to a combination of stress tests simultaneously to best predict how they will function outdoors, according to researchers at the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. (800)293-5585 info@gtmc3.com GasTurbineMaterialsAnd CoatingsSolutionsLLC.com Gas Turbine Materials and Coating Solutions LLC Materials consulting for aero and industrial gas turbine materials technology CONSULTING SERVICES Do you need to consult with an expert engineer? Learn more about what we can do for you.
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