Inorganic Electron Research Articles

Long-term stability in perovskite solar cells through atomic layer deposition of tin oxide.

Robust contact schemes that boost stability and simplify the production process are needed for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We codeposited perovskite and hole-selective contact while protecting the perovskite to enable deposition of SnOx/Ag without the use of a fullerene. The SnOx, prepared through atomic layer deposition, serves as a durable inorganic electron transport layer. Tailoring the oxygen vacancy defects in the SnOx layer led to power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of >25%. Our devices exhibit superior stability over conventional p-i-n PSCs, successfully meeting several benchmark stability tests. They retained >95% PCE after 2000 hours of continuous operation at their maximum power point under simulated AM1.5 illumination at 65°C. Additionally, they boast a certified T97 lifetime exceeding 1000 hours.

Oxidation of sulfur, hydrogen, and iron by metabolically versatile Hydrogenovibrio from deep sea hydrothermal vents.

Chemolithoautotrophic Hydrogenovibrio are ubiquitous and abundant at hydrothermal vents. They can oxidize sulfur, hydrogen or iron, but none are known to use all three energy sources. This ability though would be advantageous in vents hallmarked by highly dynamic environmental conditions. We isolated three Hydrogenovibrio strains from vents along the Indian Ridge, which grow on all three electron donors. We present transcriptomic data from strains grown on iron, hydrogen or thiosulfate with respective oxidation and autotrophic CO2 fixation rates, RubisCO activity, SEM, and EDX. Maximum estimates of one strain's oxidation potential were 10, 24, and 952mmol for iron, hydrogen and thiosulfate oxidation and 0.3, 1, and 84mmol CO2 fixation, respectively, per vent per hour indicating their relevance for element cycling in-situ. Several genes were up- or downregulated depending on the inorganic electron donor provided. Although no known genes of iron-oxidation were detected, upregulated transcripts suggested iron-acquisition and so far unknown iron-oxidation-pathways.

Influence of Chemical Structures on E-Beam Lithography Performance of Polysilsesquioxanes.

Hydrogenated silsesquioxane (HSQ) is a key inorganic electron beam resist, celebrated for its sub-10 nm resolution and etching resistance, but it faces challenges with stability and sensitivity. Our innovative study has comprehensively assessed the lithographic performance of three functionalized polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) resist series─olefins, halogenated alkanes, and alkanes─under electron beam lithography (EBL). We discovered that the addition of olefin groups, such as in the HMP-30 formulation with 30% propyl acrylate, remarkably increased the sensitivity to 0.6 μC/cm2. The inclusion of halogenated aromatic and hydrogen-substituted methyl groups further enhanced sensitivity and contrast, with HClBN-50 achieving a 22.9 nm resolution pattern. At the same time, the storage of PSQ resists was significantly improved compared to commercial HSQ with increasing alkane group content. Crucially, our research has unveiled the lithography reaction mechanism, highlighting how group encapsulation and steric hindrance influence PSQ performance. This insight is groundbreaking, offering a deeper understanding of the molecular structure-performance relationship and laying the groundwork for developing next-generation electron beam resists with superior sensitivity, resolution, and contrast for microelectronics manufacturing.

Enhanced nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas reduction via activated carbon coupled iron-based constructed wetlands

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been widely used to remove nitrogen in the effluent from sewage plants. Still, the removal capacity of nitrate (NO3−-N) in CWs is unsatisfactory due to the insufficient electron donor. This study explored the role of activated carbon (AC) in nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction in different iron-based CWs. Long-term experimental results showed that pyrite and sponge iron-based CWs had higher NO3−-N removal rates (98.18 % and 94.10 %). Compared with the control group, AC promoted their total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency (78.87–87.59 %) and reduced GHG emissions (CO2: 3.79–4.11 %, N2O: 2.97–8.78 %, CH4: 9.93–10.73 %). Moreover, AC not only promoted the values of electron transfer system activity (ETSA), the activity of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase, but also significantly increased the microbial diversity and abundance of the substrate layer in pyrite/SI- based CWs. The relative abundance of the dominant bacteria in CWs with pyrite coupling with AC (PC-CW) was the highest (nirS: 77.60 %, nosZ: 88.98 %) compared with the other CWs. The higher relative abundance of Dechloromonas and Thiobacillus in PC-CW indicated that the composite substrates of pyrite and AC promoted the extracellular electron transfer of denitrifying microorganisms. This study provides new insights into optimizing inorganic electron donors to improve the removal of NO3−-N and the reduce of GHG emissions in CWs for low C/N wastewater treatment.

Comparison of Pb-based and Sn-based perovskite solar cells using SCAPS simulation: optimal efficiency of eco-friendly CsSnI3 devices.

In this study, we employed the one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) software to optimize the performance of Pb-based and Sn-based (Pb-free) all-inorganic perovskites (AIPs) and organic-inorganic perovskites (OIPs) in perovskite solar cell (PSC) structures. Due to the higher stability of AIPs, the performance of PSCs incorporating Cs-based perovskites was compared with that of FA-based perovskites, which are more stable than their MA-based counterparts. The impact of AIPs such as CsPbCl3, CsPbBr3, CsPbI3, CsSnCl3, CsSnBr3, and CsSnI3, as well as including FAPbCl3, FAPbBr3, FAPbI3, FASnCl3, FASnBr3, and FASnI3, was investigated. SnO2 and Cu2O were selected as an inorganic electron transport layer (ETL) and a hole transport layer (HTL), respectively. CsSnBr₃, CsSnI₃, FASnCl₃, and FASnBr₃ exhibited higher efficiency compared to their Pb-based counterparts. Additionally, most Cs-based perovskites, excluding CsPbI₃, demonstrated better performance relative to their FA counterparts. CsSnI3 AIP device also shows the highest short circuit current density (JSC) of 32.85mA/cm2, the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.00%, and the least recombination at the SnO2/CsSnI3 interface. The thickness, doping, and total defect density of CsSnI3 PSC have been systematically investigated and optimized to obtain the PCE of 17.36%. These findings highlight the potential of CsSnI3 PSCs as efficient and environmentally friendly PSCs.

The impact of series ([formula omitted]) and shunt resistances ([formula omitted]) on solar cell parameters to enhance the photovoltaic performance of f-PSCs

Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells (f-PSCs) are made on an ITO-coated PET substrate. SnO2 has been used as a transparent inorganic electron transporting layer (ETL), PEDOT: PSS as an organic hole transporting layer (HTL), and C H3 N H3 Pb I3 as a perovskite absorbing layer. Two configurations of the device structure have been formed, one is normal structure ITO/PET/ SnO2/C H3 N H3 Pb I3/PEDOT: PSS/Ag (n-i-p) and the other is inverted structure ITO/PET/PEDOT: PSS/C H3 N H3 Pb I3/ SnO2/Ag (p-i-n). An antisolvent (i.e. ethyl acetate) has been used to control the surface morphology of the perovskite layers during fabrication of f-PSCs. Applying antisolvent in perovskite improves carrier mobility, transport properties, and higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) achieved. This study focuses on the effects of series (Rs) and shunt resistance (Rsh) of f-PSCs on photovoltaic parameters while controlling the surface morphology of perovskite films applied on both structures. The study examines the behaviour of f-PSCs with and without the use of an antisolvent. For normal structure, PCE is found at 11.34 % for f-PSCs with antisolvent and 7.96 % for f-PSCs without antisolvent. On the other hand, inverted structures show PCE 10.36 % and 7.46 % for f-PSCs with and without antisolvent, respectively. PCE has been calculated for the f-PSCs by bending the samples about 3 0o angle and about 20 % decrease in PCE has been found. The oddity of this work is to estimate the series and shunt resistant for f-PSCs and find the cost-effective control of these parameters by controlling interfacial defects.

Dual‐Interface Competitive Fracture Model for Curvature‐Based Transfer Printing Method

AbstractTransfer printing is a key technology in the fabrication of flexible electronics. Transfer printing method based on curvature provides a simple and effective way to transfer films onto weakly adhesive or even adhesiveless surfaces, overcoming the shortage of traditional transfer printing methods that it is difficult to print functional materials from strong interface to weak interface and can only be applicable to surfaces with certain interfacial strength. So far, the theoretical principle of the curvature‐based transfer printing method has not yet been developed. In this article, a dual‐interface competitive fracture model is established to analyze the mechanism of printing and picking up processes and quantitatively provide the critical transfer printing radius in terms of material and geometric properties of the transfer printing system. This model is verified to be both correct and widely applicable by rich experimental results, providing a new and reliable theory for the fabrication of inorganic flexible electronics.

Superior nitrate and chromium reduction synergistically driven by multiple electron donors: Performance and the related biochemical mechanism

Nitrate and Cr(VI) are the typical and prevalent co-contaminants in the groundwater, how to synchronously and effectively diminish them has received growing attention. The most problem that currently limits the nitrate and Cr(VI) reduction technology for groundwater remediation is with emphasis on exploring the optimal electron donors. This study investigated the feasibility of utilizing the synergistical effect of inorganic electron donors (pyrite, sulfur) and inherently limited organics to promote synchronous nitrate and Cr(VI) removal, which meets the requirement of naturally low-carbon and eco-friendly technologies. The NO3−-N and Cr(VI) removal efficiencies in the pyrite and sulfur involved mixotrophic biofilter (PS–BF: approximately 90.8 ± 0.6% and 99.1 ± 2.1%) were substantially higher than that in a volcanic rock supported biofilter (V–BF: about 49.6% ± 2.8% and 50.0% ± 9.3%), which was consistent with the spatial variations of their concentrations. Abiotic and biotic batch tests directly confirmed the decisive role of pyrite and sulfur for NO3−-N and Cr(VI) removal via chemical and microbial pathways. A server decline in sulfate production correlated with decreasing COD consumption revealed that there was sulfur disproportionation induced by limited organics. Metagenomic analysis suggested that chemoautotrophic microbes like Sulfuritalea and Thiobacillus were key players responsible for sulfur oxidation, nitrate and Cr(VI) reduction. The metabolic pathway analysis suggested that genes encoding functional enzymes related to complete denitrification, S oxidation, and dissimilatory sulfate reduction were upregulated, however, genes encoding Cr(VI) reduction enzymes (e.g. chrA, chrR, nemA, and azoR) were downregulated in PS-BF, which further explained the synergistical effect of multiple electron donors. These findings provide insights into their potential cooperative interaction of multiple electron donors on greatly promoting nitrate and Cr(VI) removal and have implications for the remediation technology of nitrate and Cr(VI) co-contaminated groundwater.

Mixotrophic aerobic denitrification enhanced by inorganic electron donor: Novel insights into iron valence and nirS-type denitrifying bacterial community model

Nitrogen pollution was the main factor leading to reservoir eutrophication. The removal of low-concentration nitrate pollutants in water source reservoirs is an international problem to be solved. Insufficient organic electron donors in natural reservoir are a crucial limiting factor for in situ denitrification. Microbial mixotrophic aerobic denitrification using iron as the assisted electron donor is a potential pathway to treat micropolluted water bodies. The iron/activated carbon (IAC) was used to be an assisted electron provider to advance the mixotrophic aerobic denitrification performance of denitrifying bacterial community in micro-polluted reservoir water. Upon adding IAC into the reactors, the total nitrogen (TN) reduction capacity improved >41.10 %. A slight increase in organic matter removal efficiency observed in the IAC reactors compared to the control reactors. High-throughput sequencing revealed that IAC altered the richness, and co-occurrence of denitrifying bacterial community, further advancing nitrate transformation and removal. The relative abundant of Thauera, Dechloromonas, Cupriavidus, Alicycliphilus, and Azoarcus increased and presented predominant in the IAC reactors. Meanwhile, network analysis, niche width model, neutral community model, and species abundance distribution supported this finding. The Jinpen reservoir (JP; 34°32'38" N, 107°53'53" E, located in Xi’an, North China) and Xikeng reservoir (XK; 34°32'38" N, 107°53'53" E, located in Shenzhen, South China) raw water treatment experiments demonstrated excellent TN (> 60 %) and organic matter removal efficiencies (> 44 %).

Mixotrophic aerobic denitrification facilitated by denitrifying bacterial-fungal communities assisted with iron in micro-polluted water: Performance, metabolic activity, functional genes abundance, and community co-occurrence

Low-dosage nitrate pollutants can contribute to eutrophication in surface water bodies, such as lakes and reservoirs. This study employed assembled denitrifying bacterial-fungal communities as bio-denitrifiers, in combination with zero-valent iron (ZVI), to treat micro-polluted water. Immobilized bacterial-fungal mixed communities (IBFMC) reactors demonstrated their ability to reduce nitrate and organic carbon by over 43.2 % and 53.7 %, respectively. Compared to IBFMC reactors, IBFMC combined with ZVI (IBFMC@ZVI) reactors exhibited enhanced removal efficiencies for nitrate and organic carbon, reaching the highest of 31.55 % and 17.66 %, respectively. The presence of ZVI in the IBFMC@ZVI reactors stimulated various aspects of microbial activity, including the metabolic processes, electron transfer system activities, abundance of functional genes and enzymes, and diversity and richness of microbial communities. The contents of adenosine triphosphate and electron transfer system activities enhanced more than 5.6 and 1.43 folds in the IBFMC@ZVI reactors compared with IBFMC reactors. Furthermore, significant improvement of crucial genes and enzyme denitrification chains was observed in the IBFMC@ZVI reactors. Iron played a central role in enhancing microbial diversity and activity, and promoting the supply, and transfer of inorganic electron donors. This study presents an innovative approach for applying denitrifying bacterial-fungal communities combined with iron enhancing efficient denitrification in micro-polluted water.

Hexavalent Chromium Detoxification by Biochars: Influences of Organic and Inorganic Electron Donors

Hexavalent Chromium Detoxification by Biochars: Influences of Organic and Inorganic Electron Donors

21‐4: The Understanding of Bottom Emission Blue OLED Efficiency, Lifetime Trends and Capacitance Curves with Different EILs

We discuss the effects of different electron injection layers (EILs) (NaF/LiF/Liq/ETL:Li) on the electrical properties, lifetime and capacitance systematically base on the bottom emission blue OLED device in the paper. We can determine the aging speed and initial decay of the OLED device from the characteristics of the capacitance. In the Addition, the mechanism of diverse inorganic electron injection layers resulting in the different characteristics of OLED devices is deeply analyzed. Finally, the cause of lifetime collapse with thicker inorganic EIL (70A) is speculatedfrom the two aspects of ion migration by TOF‐SIMS and electron injection capacity.

Elucidating distinct roles of chemical reduction and autotrophic denitrification driven by three iron-based materials in nitrate removal from low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio wastewater

Effective nitrate removal is a key challenge when treating low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio wastewater. How to select an effective inorganic electron donor to improve the autotrophic denitrification of nitrate nitrogen has become an area of intense research. In this study, the nitrate removal mechanism of three iron-based materials in the presence and absence of microorganisms was investigated with Fe2+/Fe0 as an electron donor and nitrate as an electron acceptor, and the relationship between the iron materials and denitrifying microorganisms was explored. The results indicated that the nitrogen removal efficiency of each iron-based material coupled sludge systems was higher than that of iron-based material. Furthermore, compared with the sponge iron coupled sludge system (60.6%–70.4%) and magnetite coupled sludge (56.1%–65.3%), the pyrite coupled sludge system had the highest removal efficiency of TN, and the removal efficiency increased from 62.5% to 82.1% with time. The test results of scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction indicated that iron-based materials promoted the attachment of microorganisms and the chemical reduction of nitrate in three iron-based material coupled sludge systems. Furthermore, the pyrite coupled sludge system had the highest nitrite reductase activity and can induce microorganisms to secrete more extracellular polymer substances. Combined with high-throughput sequencing and PICRUSt2 functional predictive analysis software, the total relative abundance of the dominant bacterial in pyrite coupled sludge system was the highest (72.06%) compared with the other iron-based material systems, and the abundance of Blastocatellaceae was relatively high. Overall, these results suggest that the pyrite coupled sludge system was more conducive to long-term stable nitrate removal.

Numerical modelling of an effective perovskite solar cell and PV-module for comparison analysis of organic and inorganic electron transport layers

The demand for energy has increased over the past few decades due to both the industrial sector's rapid development and the world's population growth. As we know, the main source of energy consists primarily of fossil fuels, which are expected to be exhausted very soon. Researchers were therefore urged to locate an alternative source of energy that may substitute for fossil fuels in order to meet the world's growing energy needs. Substitute energy sources, like renewable energy, can be used to reduce reliance on conventional energy. As its irradiance may produce electricity when struck by photovoltaic solar (PV) panels, one of the increasingly prevalent types of energy is solar energy. With the help of capacitance simulator software for solar cells (SCAPS-1D), a thorough study of comparison analysis for the design of more efficient, inexpensive, and non-toxic Ni/Cu2O/MASnI3/PCBM/FTO and Ni/Cu2O/MASnI3/WO3/FTO module configurations of solar cells was carried out, and the PVsyst photovoltaic software package investigated the dependence of solar panels on temperature and irradiation. In order to investigate how altering the electron transport layer (ETL) affects conversion efficiency, this work offers a perovskite solar cell simulation with both organic and inorganic ETLs. The absorber layer of perovskite and the HTL (hole transport layer) are maintained uniformly across all ETL configurations. This particular research takes into account the CH3NH3SnI3 absorber layer with Cu2O as HTL. In order to determine which cell combination has the maximum conversion efficiency, we examine the outcomes of both cell combinations. The SCAPS-1D software is used for all simulation work. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) for organic ETL was found to be 28.79%., in addition to a number of electrical parameters like short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 33.42 mA/cm2, open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.032 V, and fill factor (FF) of 83.43%. For inorganic ETL, PCE was 29.54%, Jsc was 34.28 mA/cm2, Voc was 1.033, and fill factor was 83.34%. The optimised layer thickness of HTL was 0.2 µm, for ETL it was 0.02 µm, and the CH3NH3SnI3 absorber layer was 0.8 µm. For a solar module with 72 cells with dimensions of 2.2×1.1 m, the results obtained from the simulation of electrical parameters derived from SCAPS-1D were configured in the PVsyst software package for panel performance.

Rugged Island-Bridge Inorganic Electronics Mounted on Locally Strain-Isolated Substrates.

Various strain isolation strategies that combine rigid and stretchable regions for stretchable electronics were recently proposed, but the vulnerability of inorganic materials to mechanical stress has emerged as a major impediment to their performance. We report a strain-isolation system that combines heteropolymers with different elastic moduli (i.e., hybrid stretchable polymers) and utilize it to construct a rugged island-bridge inorganic electronics system. Two types of prepolymers were simultaneously cross-linked to form an interpenetrating polymer network at the rigid-stretchable interface, resulting in a hybrid stretchable polymer that exhibited efficient strain isolation and mechanical stability. The system, including stretchable micro-LEDs and microheaters, demonstrated consistent operation under external strain, suggesting that the rugged island-bridge inorganic electronics mounted on a locally strain-isolated substrate offer a promising solution for replacing conventional stretchable electronics, enabling devices with a variety of form factors.

Anaerobic cyanides oxidation with bimetallic modulation of biological toxicity and activity for nitrite reduction

Cyanide is a typical toxic reducing agent prevailing in wastewater with a well-defined chemical mechanism, whereas its exploitation as an electron donor by microorganisms is currently understudied. Given that conventional denitrification requires additional electron donors, the cyanide and nitrogen can be eliminated simultaneously if the reducing HCN/CN− and its complexes are used as inorganic electron donors. Hence, this paper proposes anaerobic cyanides oxidation for nitrite reduction, whereby the biological toxicity and activity of cyanides are modulated by bimetallics. Performance tests illustrated that low toxicity equivalents of iron-copper composite cyanides provided higher denitrification loads with the release of cyanide ions and electrons from the complex structure by the bimetal. Both isotopic labeling and Density Functional Theory (DFT) demonstrated that CN−-N supplied electrons for nitrite reduction. The superposition of chemical processes reduces the biotoxicity and enhances the biological activity of cyanides in the CN−/Fe3+/Cu2+/NO2– coexistence system, including complex detoxification of CN− by Fe3+, CN− release by Cu2+ from [Fe(CN)6]3−, and NO release by nitrite substitution of −CN groups. Cyanide is the smallest structural unit of C/N-containing compounds and serves as a probe to extend the electron-donating principle of anaerobic cyanides oxidation to more electron-donor microbial utilization.

Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 23.0% via Dual-Layer SnO2 on Perovskite.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown great potential for reducing costs and improving power conversion efficiency (PCE). One effective method to achieve the latter is to use an all-inorganic charge transport layer (ICTL). However, traditional methods for crystallizing inorganic layers often result in the formation of a powder instead of a continuous film. To address this issue, we designed a dual-layer inorganic electron transport layer (IETL). This dual-layer structure consists of a layer of SnO2 nanocrystals (SnO2 NCs) deposited via a solution process and a dense SnO2 layer deposited through atomic layer deposition (ALD SnO2) to fill the cracks and gaps between the SnO2 NCs. PSCs having these dual-layer SnO2 ETLs achieved a high efficiency of 23.0%. This efficiency surpasses the recorded performance of ICTLs deposited on the perovskite. Furthermore, the PCE is comparable to that achieved with a C60 ETL. Moreover, the high-density structure of the ALD SnO2 layer inhibits the vertical migration of ions, resulting in improved thermal stability. After continuous heating at 85 °C in 10% humidity for 1000 h, the PCE of the dual-layer SnO2 structure decreased by 18%, whereas that of the C60/BCP structure decreased by 36%. The integration of dual-layer SnO2 into PSCs represents a significant advancement in achieving high-performance, commercially viable inverted monolithic PSCs or tandem solar cells.

Design strategy of porous elastomer substrate and encapsulation for inorganic stretchable electronics

ABSTRACT The emergence of stretchable electronic technology has led to the development of many industries and facilitated many unprecedented applications, owing to its ability to bear various deformations. However, conventional solid elastomer substrates and encapsulation can severely restrict the free motion and deformation of patterned interconnects, leading to potential mechanical failures and electrical breakdowns. To address this issue, we propose a design strategy of porous elastomer substrate and encapsulation to improve the stretchability of serpentine interconnects in island-bridge structures. The serpentine interconnects are fully bonded to the elastomer substrate, while segments above circular pores remain suspended, allowing for free deformation and a substantial improvement in elastic stretchability compared to the solid substrates. The pores ensure unimpeded interconnect deformations, and moderate porosity provides support while maintaining the initial planar state. Compared to conventional solid configurations, finite element analysis (FEA) demonstrates a substantial enhancement of elastic stretchability (e.g. ≈9 times without encapsulation and ≈ 7 times with encapsulation). Uniaxial cyclic loading fatigue experiments validate the enhanced elastic stretchability, indicating the mechanical stability of the porous design. With its intrinsic advantages in permeability, the proposed strategy has the potential to offer insightful inspiration and novel concepts for advancing the field of stretchable inorganic electronics.

Performance optimization study of lead-free CsSnGeI3 based perovskite solar cell heterostructure with different inorganic electron transport layers: A numerical simulation approach

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered to be one of the most prominent candidates for its commercialization. The meteoric properties of the PSC have always astounded the researchers. Thus, in this perspective, the germanium-based PSCs are able to increase a sense of curiosity among photovoltaic (PV) researchers due to its superior stability and efficiency. In the present work, different combinations of the lead-free and non-toxic inorganic caesium tin-germanium (CsSnGeI3) based PSC structures have been studied using various electron transport layers (ETLs) (SnS2, TiO2, WS2, MoTe2 and ZnSe) and Mg–CuCrO2 as a hole transport layer due to its meteoric properties. For each ETL, the impact of material parameters including the thickness of the various layers, absorber acceptor density, donor density, absorber defect density, absorber radiative recombination and interfacial defect density are examined to study the cell performance (such as Voc, Jsc, FF, and PCE). Moreover, the role of operating temperature, shunt resistance and series resistance in analysing the cell performance has also been checked towards its practical applicability. The results show ZnSe as the best ETL in comparison to other inorganic ETLs for CsSnGeI3 based absorber with Mg–CuCrO2 as an HTL, used in this work resulting in a good cell performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 33.24%, Voc ∼ 1.36 V, Jsc ∼ 28.02 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF) ∼ 86.79%. The proposed simulation work may pave the way for further design and optimization of Sn-based PSCs towards practical applications.

Enhanced nitrate removal efficiency and microbial response of immobilized mixed aerobic denitrifying bacteria through biochar coupled with inorganic electron donors in oligotrophic water

The nitrogen removal characteristics and microbial response of biochar-immobilized mixed aerobic denitrifying bacteria (BIADB) were investigated at 25 °C and 10 °C. BIADB removed 53.51 ± 1.72 % (25 °C) and 39.90 ± 4.28 % (10 °C) nitrate in synthetic oligotrophic water. Even with practical oligotrophic water, BIADB still effectively removed 47.66–53.21 % (25 °C), and 39.26–45.63 % (10 °C) nitrate. The addition of inorganic electron donors increased nitrate removal by approximately 20 % for synthetic and practical water. Bacterial and functional communities exhibited significant temperature and stage differences (P < 0.05), with temperature and total dissolved nitrogen being the main environmental factors. The dominant genera and keystone taxa exhibited significant differences at the two temperatures. Structural equation model analysis showed that dissolved organic matter had the highest direct and indirect effects on diversity and function, respectively. This study provides an innovative pathway for utilizing biochar and inorganic electron donors for nitrate removal from oligotrophic waters.