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Typically we think of power plants generating electricity and heat using a variety of energy sources such as coal, gas, oil, nuclear, wind, hydro, geothermal and solar energy. Each of the different methods faces challenges as the energy is converted from a primary source into electricity or heat.
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View all of our Energy Generation & Storage application notes
Optimising and controlling the cathode material is one of the important areas for current Li-ion battery technology. This application note demonstrates a simple and automated method which does not rely on operator expertise - using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) to determine the composition of powder particles used for Li-ion battery cathodes.
Discover how EBSD can be used to obtain grain size and texture information from NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) cathode material. By characterising and comparing samples of different cathode materials at different stages of the battery’s lifetime, it's possible to link the performance with the microstructure and improve understanding of how the materials can be optimised.
Methylammonium Lead Halides (MALHs) are organic crystal compounds used in solar cells, LEDs, LASERs and photodetectors. Recent improvements to EBSD detectors now allows for their characterisation of grain size and texture.
Solar cells are being increasingly used globally and it is important that improvements are made on the production of Mc-Si cells to enhance efficiency. Analysis of these solar cells using EBIC, TEM and APT
An important part of the research and development of thin-film solar cells is the characterisation of microstructural and compositional properties of the functional layers.
Zirconium alloys are used in nuclear reactors owing to their low capture cross-section for thermal neutrons and good mechanical and corrosion properties. However, they suffer from delayed hydrogen cracking (DHC) due to formation of hydride particles. This study shows how EBSD can be used to characterise hydrides in terms of their orientation relationship with the matrix and internal structure and local misorientation.
Lithium Ion batteries are found in most mobile electronic devices (e.g. laptop computers, phones etc). They are the dominant battery technology due to their superior energy to weight ratio and lack of memory effect. They are also the primary battery type used in the latest generation of electric and hybrid cars.
New and existing materials for lithium ion batteries are being studied extensively with the aim of increasing their storage capacity and lifetime. While the SEM is an important tool in the study of these materials, characterising the distribution of Li still remains one of the main challenges.
Photovoltaic (PV) cells are an attractive option for generating low carbon renewable energy but traditional designs often include undesirable toxic compounds and must be manufactured under special conditions. The all-oxide approach to photovoltaic cells is thus very attractive...
Solar energy conversion is part of a long term strategy to ensure a stable and adequate supply of electrical power in the future. Photovoltaics are the only method of converting sunlight directly into electrical energy. The efficiency of a photovoltaic system is measured...
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