This manuscript investigates the efficient synthesis of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) nanoparticles for CZTS thin film solar cell applications with a primary focus on environmental sustainability. Underpinning the investigation is an initial life-cycle assessment (LCA) analysis. This LCA analysis is conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of different synthesis volumes, providing crucial insights into the sustainability of the synthesis process by considering the flows of material and energy associated with the process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThermal annealing is the most common postdeposition technique used to crystallize antimony selenide (SbSe) thin films. However, due to slow processing speeds and a high energy cost, it is incompatible with the upscaling and commercialization of SbSe for future photovoltaics. Herein, for the first time, a fast-annealing technique that uses millisecond light pulses to deliver energy to the sample is adapted to cure thermally evaporated SbSe films.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of kesterite CuZnSn(S,Se) (CZTSSe) solar cells has remained challenging over the past decade, in part due to open-circuit voltage ()-limiting defect states at the absorber/buffer interface. Previously, we found that substituting the conventional CdS buffer layer with InS in CZTSSe devices fabricated from nanoparticle inks produced an increase in the apparent doping density of the CZTSSe film and a higher built-in voltage arising from a more favorable energy-band alignment at the absorber/buffer interface. However, any associated gain in was negated by the introduction of photoactive defects at the interface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The first 3-antigen hepatitis B vaccine was approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration in November 2021 and was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2022. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of this 3-antigen vaccine (PreHevbrio™) relative to the single-antigen vaccine, Engerix-B, to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among US adults.
Methods: A cost-effectiveness model was developed using a combined decision-tree and Markov structure to follow 100,000 adults over their remaining lifetimes after vaccination with either the 3-antigen or single-antigen vaccine.