Inkjet Perovskite solar cells may help shape the future of energy production by lowering costs, and transparency.
Solar panels used to be costly and time-consuming to produce—and quite expensive on the consumer side. New technologies have driven costs as well as production time down, to the benefit of consumers. See what's new with solar panels and where the solar cell technology is going. 

New Solar Panel Developments 

In traditional solar panels, silicon acts as a semiconductor. By doping the silica material with gallium and arsenic impurities, the silicon-based solar panel is able to capture solar energy and convert the sun's energy to electricity. While there are other materials that can act as semiconductors for solar energy, silicon is ideal because is forms an oxide at high temperatures. The oxide makes it easy to product consistent, high quality solar panels. The latest generation of solar cells use perovskite rather than silicon.

In 2009, researchers first discovered that perovskite could also be used to make photovoltaic solar cells. Despite the potential of this discovery, perovskites weren't considered a good choice for solar panels, because the materials needed to be heated to such high temperatures that very few materials could be coated with the perovskite solution. Glass could withstand the high heat, but a glass solar panel would be an impractical product for obvious reasons. 

A young scientist recently discovered a new way to work with perovskites. Using an evaporation method, Polish scientist Olga Malinkiewicz, was able to coat flexible foil with perovskites. To speed the substrate drying process, nitrogen was used. By blowing dry nitrogen gas over the wet perovskite film, the resulting evaporation happened faster and more consistently. Without utilizing nitrogen in the process, the panels could have an inconsistent coverage, which would lead to poor energy conversion rates. 

The resulting solar panels were thin and flexible, both in their material application and their use cases. Imagine a portable solar panel that could attach to a laptop, drone, or car, something that could capture the sun's energy indoors or outdoors and travel with you, to power whatever you needed. 

Since her initial discovery, Malinkiewicz has refined the approach. The latest generation of perovskite solar cells are created with an inkjet printing procedure which makes them faster and cheaper to produce. With mass production feasible from an economic perspective, the perovskite solar cells can be a popular option to add electricity to areas that do not have an underlying power grid, whether that's rural communities or developing countries. 

The technology is still being refined, so you won't see widespread perovskite solar cells just yet. However, researchers are cheering the innovation and its potential to revolutionize energy distribution. 

One thing to consider moving forward with perovskite solar panels is the use of nitrogen in the process. Anywhere nitrogen is used, there's a safety risk should the gas leak from supply lines. 

How an Oxygen Monitor Can Help Detect Nitrogen Gas Leaks 
Nitrogen leaks create health risks because nitrogen displaces oxygen, which humans need to breathe. Undetected, a nitrogen leak could create oxygen-deficient air, leading to respiratory distress and eventually death via asphyxiation. Nitrogen gases is both colorless and odorless, which means it would be impossible to detect a leak relying on the senses.

​The easiest way to detect a leak is to measure ambient oxygen using an oxygen monitor. Oxygen monitors continually track levels of oxygen, sounding an alarm if levels fall to the OSHA threshold where safety is at risk. With flashing lights and a loud alarm, workers will be able to exit the room before the onset of health problems. 

PureAire creates industry-leading oxygen monitors that last for 10 or more years, with no calibration or maintenance needed. Learn more or view product specs at www.pureairemonitoring.com.

Nitrogen-infused or nitro beverages have been among the biggest trends in the beverage industry. There's been no shortage of nitro cold brew coffees and nitro beers, but never a nitro soda—until now, with the launch of Nitro Pepsi. The new beverage was sampled at the 2019 Super Bowl and while you won't find it on tap just yet, here's what you can look forward to.

Introducing Nitro Pepsi 

​Nitro Pepsi aims to revolutionize the most signature aspect of soda, which is the carbonation.

CO2 gas is responsible for creating the tangy bubbles that give soda its texture and mouthfeel. Nitrogen creates bubbles that are smaller and softer, for a creamier mouthfeel in the drink. The creamy experience naturally complements sweet, malty beer styles like stouts and porters, as well as cold brew coffees.

Translated into Pepsi, the nitrogen bubbles create a beverage that's reminiscent of an ice cream float (with that creamy sweetness). The drink will be available in two flavors, original Pepsi and vanilla. Pepsi recommends drinking the Nitro Pepsi cold, but not over ice.

With its new nitro soda, Pepsi hopes to transform the soda drinking experience, much the way that craft beer and coffee have been transformed by nitro drinks, and introduce their brand to a new audience of consumers.

While there's a lot of excitement around the new beverage, there are also some risks to consider, due to the use of nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is naturally dense and will displace oxygen in the environment. If the bottling plant experiences a nitrogen leak, this means that oxygen within the bottling plant will be pushed out of the air, creating a public health hazard.

Nitrogen gas is colorless and odorless, so employees would not be able to spot the leak. When oxygen levels first begin falling, employees will not notice any symptoms. By the time oxygen levels dip to the point where health is at risk, employees may begin to experience cognitive confusion or suffer respiratory distress. With oxygen deprivation, there's a risk of losing consciousness or suffering death via asphyxiation.

Preventing Nitrogen Leaks With a Dual O2/CO2 Monitor

While the nitrogen leak cannot be detected, what can be tracked is the level of oxygen in the room. By paying attention to oxygen levels and alerting employees when levels fall below the safe threshold, as defined by OSHA, a dual O2/CO2 monitor protects public health. Not only are these alarms required by OSHA where inert gases like nitrogen are used, they are the easiest way to protect employees from workplace hazards and deliver peace of mind in the plant bottling area. 

The O2 monitor works by sampling the air to check oxygen levels. As long as oxygen levels are within the safe zone, the monitor is silent. With PureAire products, the monitor always displays readouts on a screen, so employees can check oxygen levels at a glance.

If a nitrogen leak develops and oxygen starts to fall, the monitor will flash lights and sound an alarm so that employees have ample warning to evacuate the area. Plant workers can then alert emergency services, who can respond to the leak.

There are many O2 monitors on the market, but PureAire's are unique for their construction. PureAire O2 monitors and dual O2/CO2 monitors feature zirconium sensors, which offer 10 or more years of reliable performance with no calibration. PureAire monitors do not need calibration or maintenance. All that's needed is to unbox the monitor, mount it on the wall, and plug it in to enjoy continuous oxygen monitoring and superior leak detection.
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PureAire's O2 monitors are industry leading for their quality, construction, and performance. To learn more about PureAire’s dual O2/CO2 monitor or oxygen monitor, visit www.pureairemonitoring.com.