King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Tiny tweaks for big wins in solar cells

Solar cells that rely on perovskites to harvest sunlight are bound to gain in energy conversion efficiency thanks to an atomic-level understanding of the structure-property relationship of these photovoltaic materials.

A crystal clear step closer to commercial solar cells

A synthetic approach developed by researchers generates homogeneous and defect-free crystals that could fast-track the commercialization of perovskite solar cells.

Solar power with a free side of drinking water

A multifunctional device that captures the heat shed by photovoltaic solar panels has been developed and used to generate clean drinking water as a way to simultaneously generate electricity and water using only renewable energy.

Ready, jet... print!

Inkjet printing is expected to fast track the commercialization of organic solar cells. Researchers have exploited this technique to generate high-efficiency solar cells at large scales.

Smart pill bottle keeps drugs safe

Low-cost, stretchy sensors can be assembled inside the lid of a drug container to help monitor patient safety.

Marine Skin dives deeper for better monitoring

A new and greatly improved version of an electronic tag, called Marine Skin, used for monitoring marine animals could revolutionize our ability to study sea life and its natural environment.

All-in-one transparent transistors

Small tweaks in component ratios generate electronically different layers from the same material to create transparent transistors.

Integration of single-crystal hybrid perovskites into electronics

A team of researchers has developed a technique that, for the first time, allows single-crystal hybrid perovskite materials to be integrated into electronics. Because these perovskites can be synthesized at low temperatures, the advance opens the door to new research into flexible electronics and potentially reduced manufacturing costs for electronic devices.

Paper sensors remove the sting of diabetic testing

A technique that enables biologically active enzymes to survive the rigors of inkjet printing presents a promising alternative to routine blood screening exams faced by diabetic patients.

Sensitive robots feel the strain

An artificial soft skin imbued with flexible electronics could enhance the way robots sense and interact with their surroundings.

Turn your house into solar panels with printable solar materials

Scientists have developed a photovoltaic organic material that captures light efficiently and that potentially could be coated on building materials.

Thin films for more efficient solar cells

The efficiency of solar cells can be increased by thin-film contacts. Improving the performance of solar cells requires scrutinizing every aspect of their design. First, this means improving the crystalline quality of the absorbing material to maximize the conversion of photons to negatively charged electrons and positively charged holes. Next, the device's architecture must be optimized to ensure these charge carriers can move efficiently through the material. Finally, the electrical contacts that extract the carriers from the device and into an external circuit need to be perfected.

Laser-scribed disordered graphene improves sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries have potential to replace the currently used lithium-ion batteries by using the cheaper (less than a thirtieth of the cost of lithium) and more abundant sodium resource. This has particular potential in Saudi Arabia, where sodium is readily available and easily extracted as a byproduct of water desalination, a significant source of potable water in the country.

Smart skin for flexible monitoring

An electronic tag that stretches and flexes while it records location and environmental data can monitor marine animals in their natural habitat as reported in Printed Electronics World.