Mapping Capillary Infiltration-Induced Potential in Water-Triggered Electric Generator Using an Electrical Probe Integrated Microscope.

Power generation from water-triggered capillary action in porous structures has recently geared extensive attention, offering the potential for generating electricity from ubiquitous water evaporation. However, conclusively establishing the nature of electrical generation and charge transfer is extremely challenging arising from the complicated aqueous solid-liquid interfacial phenomenon. Here, an electric probe-integrated microscope is developed to on-line monitor the correlation between water capillary action and potential values at any desired position of an active layer.

Colored Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells Exceeding 23.5% Efficiency Enabled by Luminescent Down-Shift Quantum Dots.

Colored solar panels, realized by depositing various reflection layers or structures, are emerging as power sources for building with visual aesthetics. However, these panels suffer from reduced photocurrent generation due to the less efficient light harvesting from visible light reflection and degraded power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, color-patterned silicon heterojunction solar cells are achieved by incorporating luminescent quantum dots (QDs) with high quantum yields as light converters to realize an asthenic appearance with high PCE.

Synergistic Solar-Driven Freshwater Generation and Electricity Output Empowered by Wafer-Scale Nanostructured Silicon.

Electricity generation triggered by the ubiquitous water evaporation process provides an intriguing way to harvest energy from water. Meanwhile, natural water evaporation is also a fundamental way to obtain fresh water for human beings. Here, a wafer-scale nanostructured silicon-based device that takes advantage of its well-aligned configuration that simultaneously realizes solar steam generation (SSG) for freshwater collection and hydrovoltaic effect generation for electricity output is developed.