Solar energy is key to combating climate change, but harnessing it is difficult. In current solar panels, only 20% of available energy is typically transformed into electricity. An NC State professor is leading the development of more effective solar panels cells so that this renewable energy source can replace dwindling fossil fuels. At the same time, this work is establishing more accessible ways to do research in science, technology, engineering and mathematic fields.
In the 2010s, Aram Amassian, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, pioneered new processes through which to coat materials using inks. These in situ experiments allow researchers to collect data about the function of the ink during its fabrication as opposed to after it has formed. This way, researchers can more precisely identify when and how to intervene to control…