Brilliant colors from environmentally friendly crystals

02-Oct-2015 - Quantum dots have made it possible to substantially increase color quality in LCD displays. However, these cadmium-based nanocrystals have proven to be harmful to the environment. Fraunhofer researchers are working together with an industry partner to develop a promising alternative: quantum dots ...

New World Record for Both Sides-Contacted Silicon Solar Cells

25.1 Percent Efficiency with TOPCon Technology

16-Sep-2015 - The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has set a new efficiency record for silicon solar cells. For the first time, an efficiency of 25.1 percent has been measured for a both sides-contacted silicon solar cell. Having a simple rear side contact without any patterning, this type of ...

Casting of SiSiC: new perspectives for chemical and plant engineering

08-Sep-2015 - Despite its outstanding chemical, thermal and tribological properties, the high costs of production currently prevent the use of silicon-infiltrated SiSiC in many applications. A novel method overcomes technical manufacturing limitations of conventional shaping methods. Researchers at Fraunhofer ...

Fuel and chemicals from steel plant exhaust gases

03-Jul-2015 - Carbon monoxide-rich exhaust gases from steel plants are only being reclaimed to a minor extent as power or heat. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a new recycling process for this materially unused carbon resource: They successfully produced fuel and specialty chemicals from these exhaust ...

Metal encapsulation optimizes chemical reactions

02-Jul-2015 - The chemical industry consumes millions of tons of packing materials as catalytic support media or adsorbents in fixed-bed reactors and heat storage systems. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a means of encapsulating these filler particles in metal that multiplies their thermal conductivity ...

Diamond-like coatings save fuel

10-Jun-2015 - Coating engine components with hard carbon reduces friction to almost zero – a development that could save billions of liters of fuel worldwide every year. Now researchers have developed a new laser method to apply the coating on the production line.Scientists already know how to coat components ...

Natural rubber from dandelions

10-Jun-2015 - Dandelions are modest plants that are an excellent alternative source for a raw material of high demand: natural rubber, the fundamental ingredient in rubber products. Fraunhofer researchers have established the basis for the large-scale production of high quality rubber with Russian ...

»Green Chemistry« ensures sustainable materials cycle

05-Jun-2015 - This year biobased processes and procedures and bio-economy are in the focus of ACHEMA, which will take place in Frankurt from June 15 to 19, 2015. The Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg has set itself the goal of developing innovative materials and processes for ...

Graphene – from a wonder material to the application in mobile communication

25-Mar-2015 - Its theoretical properties made graphene a »wonder material« overnight: it is up to 200 times harder than steel, six times lighter, strong but flexible, environmentally friendly and the world’s thinnest material. Measuring only a single atom layer, about a one hundred-thousandth the diameter of a ...

Live images from inside materials

17-Dec-2014 - In medicine, X-rays provide high-resolution images of our insides to help doctors make a definitive diagnosis. Industry uses X-rays, too - as a reliable, non-destructive way of seeing what's hidden on inside materials and components and to check for cracks or irregularities. However industry ...