Materials Research
for sustainable energy and industry. Materials Research at Karlstad University has a long tradition as a strong research environment. The core of Materials Research are scientists in Materials Engineering, Materials Physics, Physical Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. Collaborations and cooperations with other Universities, research institutes and companies are important and intense.
News
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2025-05-22
Solar cell researchers in international collaboration
International mobility enables valuable collaboration for researchers from Karlstad University and UMONS, the University of Mons in Belgium. The collaboration promotes research in materials science through exchange of knowledge on methods for studying material properties at the nanoscale.
– My visit here at Karlstad University has been enriching in many ways, says Philippe Leclere from UMONS. Since we work in the same field of research, that is, materials for organic solar cells, it is very interesting to exchange experiences. We study the material’s properties at the molecular level and how the molecules in the active layer organise themselves. This includes the material’s mechanical, chemical and electrical properties, which we study using scanning probe microscopy.
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2025-04-07
Research for durable organic solar cells
Organic solar cells have great potential in renewable energy, however their long-term stability and operational lifespan are challenges.
Organic Solar Cells (OSCs) are at the forefront of next-generation renewable energy technologies, due to their lightweight, flexibility, transparency, and potential for low-cost production. Recent advances in the development of new molecules have propelled OSCs to record-breaking power conversion efficiencies of up to 20 percent.
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2024-12-19
Rocket science for real
The sounding rocket SubOrbital Express-4 which was launched from the Esrange Space Center outside Kiruna contained an experiment module from Karlstad University. The module is about studying how the active layer of organic solar cells forms in microgravity.
– In this project, we were able to conduct experiments in an unmanned rocket, says Jan van Stam, professor of physical chemistry at Karlstad University. It allowed us access to microgravity for several minutes instead of about half a minute, as in previous experiments in aeroplanes. We were able to perform more advanced experiments, which will hopefully give us clearer answers to questions about the structural formation, says Jan van Stam.
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2024-10-24
The secret life of molecules unveiled
Research on organic solar cells has been conducted for a long time. Recent advancements in understanding their molecular structures are now paving the way for the development of highly efficient solar cells.
– By using atomic force microscopy-infrared spectroscopy, AFM-IR, we’ve been able to create clearer images of the morphology or structure of the material, says Ishita Jalan, postdoc in physical chemistry and main author of a recently published scientific article. This structure and how it can be controlled determines the effect of the solar cell. In this way, these new findings can contribute to more efficient organic solar cells.
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2024-09-20
Materials research for the future
Materials research at Karlstad University has a long tradition. With strong external funding and close collaboration with the industrial and regional actors, they are now establishing the Materials Research Group, MRG@KaU, taking further steps to contribute through basic and applied research to a sustainable future in material science.
– In total, approximately 40 active researchers are involved in the Materials Research Group at Karlstad university, says Ellen Moons, Professor of Physics and one of the coordinators of the research environment. A strong interdisciplinary collaboration has developed within the team, with research activities ranging from basic materials research to applied research and industrial applications, as well as between experiments and modelling on length scales from nanometer to micrometer and to the macro-scale level.
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2024-08-16
Eco-friendly and affordable battery
A battery made from zinc and lignin that can be used over 8000 times. This has been developed by researchers at Karlstad University, Linköping University and Chalmers with a vision to provide a cheap and sustainable battery solution for countries where access to electricity is limited. The study has been published in the journal Energy & Environmental Materials.
– Solar panels have become relatively inexpensive, and many people in low-income countries have adopted them. However, near the equator, the sun sets at around 6 PM, leaving households and businesses without electricity. The hope is that this battery technology, even with lower performance than the expensive Li-ion batteries, will eventually offer a solution for these situations, says Reverant Crispin, professor of organic electronics at Linköping University.
