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WE’VE GOT THE POWERCanada is a one of the world’s largest producers of hydrogen. Hydrogen gas is an attractive green energy option, given hydrogen’s high energy efficiency and pollutant-free emission. Separating hydrogen from other materials is a challenge; however, researchers are working to develop techniques to separate hydrogen from biological sources. This is made possible through the use of catalysts, materials that push chemical reactions. Using CLSanalysis, a team from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and the University of Saskatchewan are investigating these chemical reaction systems in order to develop faster, more efficient production methods. DOI:10.1016/j.apcata.2015.04.004

Solar photovoltaic energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada. Researchers from the CLS, University of Toronto, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, are working to harvest this form of energy. Quantum dots are nanocrystals made of semiconductor materials with electronic properties that can be tuned to make them useful sunlight-harvesters. The researchers used the CLS to develop a new way to build these state-of-the art solar cells, eliminating several wasteful steps in their development. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201400577

About half of Canada’s residential electricity needs could be met if solar panels were installed on the roofs of residential buildings.

At a single atom thick, graphene was the first 2D crystal ever discovered. It is a great candidate for solar cells because it is

transparent, stronger than steel, and a better conductor than copper. It also can’t corrode. Researchers from the University of

Saskatchewan aim to harness these qualities into a more efficient solar cell by modifying the material with oxygen to make a better

charge collector. To do this, they take a close look at graphene oxide’s unique electronic signature.

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201401300

Solar energy is abundant, and has long been of interest as an alternative energy source. Research

in solar devices is largely focused on identifying and improving materials that can convert solar to usable energy more efficiently and at low cost. Researchers

from the Western University, Soochow University, and the CLS were able to identify compositional, as well as

photoelectrochemical characteristics of high output light-absorbing films. These findings help optimize

the design of nanocrystal films to achieve the highest possible photovoltaic efficiency for solar cells.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b01049

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b05940

Thermoelectric materials could be used as alternative sources for power generation and refrigeration. A thermoelectric material creates voltage when a temperature difference is applied to it, and vice versa. Thermoelectric devices are reliable energy converters and produce no noise or vibration as there are no mechanical moving parts. Researchers from Canada, United States, and Japan are using the CLS to characterize the electron density, thermoelectric, and electrical transport properties of magnesium silicide alloys with antimony, aluminium, and zinc impurities.

DOI: 10.1039/C5TA03751D

We can’t control when the wind blows or when the sun shines, so finding

efficient ways to store energy from alternative sources remains an urgent

research problem. A team from the University of Toronto has designed

the most efficient catalyst for storing energy in chemical form, by splitting

water into hydrogen and oxygen, just like plants do during photosynthesis.

Oxygen is released harmlessly into the atmosphere, and hydrogen, as

H2, can be converted back into energy using hydrogen fuel cells. The intrinsic efficiency of the new catalyst material is over three times more efficient than

the best state-of-the-art catalyst, and is made from abundant low cost-metals.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf1525

In an era of increasing energy demands, scientists are searching for the holy grail of chemistry: a way to use renewable resources, like solar power, to split water into hydrogen fuel. When hydrogen is used as a fuel, it leaves behind no pollutants or greenhouse gasses, only water. It is currently an expensive process with low energy output, but researchers from CLS, Soochow University, and Western University have identified catalysts that vastly improve the water splitting process, and pinpointed how the catalyst works. These results could help produce a zero emission hydrogen fuel. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b02685

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY DEVELOPMENTSHarvesting solar energy Stronger, better solar cells

Developing new solar materials

Capturing solar energy with perovskite crystalsPerovskite crystals have shown great promise as materials for harnessing solar energy, and perovskite solar cells have rapidly reached power conversion efficiencies as high as 21 per cent. Unfortunately, a major barrier to their commercialization is that promising perovskites decompose quickly in humid conditions. Though various methods to protect the crystals have been developed, little was known about how the crystals break down in moisture. In order to address this question, researchers from the University of Saskatchewan performed humidity-controlled studies at the CLS to determine key steps in the decomposition process. DOI: 10.1021/nn506864k

Harnessing hydrogen energy Environmentally-friendly thermoelectrics

Saving sunshine for

a rainy day

Splitting water into hydrogen fuel

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