In order to improve the accuracy, validity, reliability and reproducibility of reported power conversion efficiencies for solar cells, the journal, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells (SOLMAT), wishes to define how power conversion efficiencies should be reported. This expands upon what is specified in our Guide for Authors. This editorial also serves as a guide on how efficiency data should...

Two different natural dyes containing anthocyanin extracted from black carrot and bramble from Iran. Spectrophotometric evaluations of the natural dyes in solution and on a TiO2 substrate were carried out in order to assess changes in the status of the natural dyes. The results show that the natural dyes indicate buthochromic shift on the TiO2 substrates. The chemical adsorption of natural dyes...

We devise a new approach for capturing complex interfacial interactions over reduced length scales, towards predicting electrokinetic energy conversion efficiencies of nanofluidic devices. By embedding several aspects of intermolecular interactions in continuum based formalism, we show that our simple theory becomes capable of representing complex interconnections between electro-mechanics and ...

We numerically analyze the optical response and nonlinear susceptibilities of fishnet metamaterials with the holes infiltrated by a third-order nonlinear dielectric. Through full-wave simulations and employing a nonlinear parameter retrieval method, we confirm and quantify the enhanced nonlinearities, showing bulk third-order nonlinear susceptibilities that are up to two orders of magnitude lar...

Although electrokinetic effects are not new, only recently have they been investigated for possible use in energy conversion devices. We recently reported the electrokinetic generation of molecular hydrogen from rapidly flowing liquid water microjets [Duffin et al. J. Phys. Chem. C 2007, 111, 12031]. Here, we describe the use of liquid water microjets for direct conversion of electrokinetic ene...

In this study, thermochemical biomass gasification was performed on a bench-scale fluidized-bed gasifier with steam and air as fluidizing and oxidizing agents. Distillers grains, a non-fermentable byproduct of ethanol production, were used as the biomass feedstock for the gasification. The goal was to investigate the effects of furnace temperature, steam to biomass ratio and equivalence ratio o...