Cuprorivaite, also known as Egyptian blue (EB), CaCuSi₄O₁₀, has been utilized as an important blue pigment for thousands of years. It shows a 430–800 nm broad excitation band and an intense 910–920 nm near-infrared (NIR) emission peak at room temperature. The application that motivates the current research is for luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) usage. Current technology for this purpose relies on high near-infrared reflectance. This article addresses the investigation of the relationship between dispersing methods and photoluminescence (PL) intensity. Mechanical grinding methods investigated in the study were: horizontal bead mill, exfoliation and three-roll mill. The initial aim of the study was to verify if the proposed methods do not damage PL. To the surprise of the authors, three-roll mill treatment enhanced PL by nearly 50% without altering the morphology of the powder. An X-ray diffraction study suggested slight alterations in the crystal lattice.

Commercially available photovoltaic (PV) modules typically consist of individual silicon half-cut cells that are electrically interconnected. This interconnection method results in gaps between the cells, which do not contribute to the overall PV output power. One approach to enhance the cell-to-module power ratio is the placement of white, diffuse reflecting plastic material within these gaps. Conventionally, the process of generating reflective patterns involves several discrete steps, including film deposition, resist patterning, etching, and resist stripping. This study presents an innovative single-step procedure for the direct deposition of zinc reflective patterns onto glass substrates using laser-induced backward transfer (LIBT) and a nanosecond pulsed laser system. The process successfully produced lines and squares, demonstrating its versatility in achieving diverse geometric patterns under ambient atmospheric pressure and room temperature conditions. The evaluation of the transferred patterns included an examination of geometric dimensions and surface morphology using a 3D microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis at the air/Zn interface. Additionally, the thickness of the zinc film and its adhesion to the glass substrate were quantified. The angular reflectance at a wavelength of 660 nm for both the glass/Zn and air/Zn interfaces was measured.

The present study aimed to evaluate crop characteristics, including morpho-anatomical features and nutritional and health-promoting composition, of head lettuce cultivated in greenhouses covered with transparent glass (control) and glass containing a red luminophore (red). The plant material comprised two lettuce types: butterhead and iceberg. Alterations were observed in head dimensions, morphology, and leaf mesophyll structure of plants from the red greenhouse. Butterhead lettuce plants exhibited unaltered head area under tested conditions but displayed a reduction in accumulated sugars and amino acids, resulting in a decline in dry matter content. Conversely, an increase in soluble and insoluble sugars and amino acid content, along with no change in nitrate content, was observed in iceberg lettuce. However, the growth intensity of iceberg lettuce decreased, while its dry matter content increased. Moreover, phenols and vitamin C concentration were lower in iceberg lettuce than in the butterhead one. In the red greenhouse, the phenolic content declined in both lettuce types, but vitamin C levels were reduced in butterhead lettuce and remained unchanged in iceberg lettuce. The data clearly demonstrate that the extent of variation in crop characteristics observed in lettuce cultivated in the red greenhouse depended on the tested lettuce type, with notable alterations occurring in iceberg lettuce.

The solar module output power is the power generated by all individual cells in their specific electrical circuit configuration, multiplied by the cell-to-module power ratio. The cell-to-module power ratio thus reflects the sum of the losses and gains produced by the structure of the module. The biggest process change in module design during the last few years was the introduction of half cells. Another important trend is the use of bifacial cells to build bifacial modules. These two trends increase parts of the module that correspond to the intercell gaps, and the light does not meet the cell in its path. This part of the radiation is therefore not used efficiently. Scientific efforts focus on the texturing surface of covering glass and cells, and the introduction of narrower ribbons and encapsulation materials with improved UV performance, etc. The concept of a diffusor that actively redirects light from the intercell space into the cell was proposed in the past, in the form of a micro-structured prismatic film, but this is not applicable for bifacial modules. The conclusion is that losses caused by the incidence of light on the areas of the photovoltaic panel not covered with solar cells yet are to be explored further. A sawtooth-shaped reflecting diffusor placed between cells is proposed. This article addresses the issue in a novel way, primarily because the theoretical range of the optimum sawtooth profile is defined. In the experimental part of the study, the possibility of producing such a profile directly on glass using a CO₂ laser is demonstrated. The theoretical model enables discrimination between advantageous and disadvantageous sawtooth profiles. As a proof of concept, minimodules based on the optimum parameters were built and tested for their electrical performance. The result confirms that the proposed sawtooth-shaped reflecting diffusor placed between cells creates cell-to-module power gain. The proposed laser technology can be incorporated into existing production lines, and can increase the output of any photovoltaic technology, including and beyond silicon.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the modified light spectrum of glass containing red luminophore on the performance of the photosynthetic apparatus of two types of lettuce cultivated in soil in a greenhouse. Butterhead and iceberg lettuce were cultivated in two types of greenhouses: (1) covered with transparent glass (control) and (2) covered with glass containing red luminophore (red). After 4 weeks of culture, structural and functional changes in the photosynthetic apparatus were examined. The presented study indicated that the red luminophore used changed the sunlight spectrum, providing an adequate blue:red light ratio, while decreasing the red:far-red radiation ratio. In such light conditions, changes in the efficiency parameters of the photosynthetic apparatus, modifications in the chloroplast ultrastructure, and altered proportions of structural proteins forming the photosynthetic apparatus were observed. These changes led to a decrease of CO₂ carboxylation efficiency in both examined lettuce types.

This article introduces a laboratory-scale concept and research on photovoltaic (PV) modules designed for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) market, with enhanced architectural aesthetics and no protective glass. The proposed concept involves replacing a typical glass protective and load-bearing element of PV modules with an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil while using an aluminium sheet as a load-bearing element in the system. To further enhance the visual appeal of the solution, special modifications were proposed to the geometry of the front security foil. To confirm the feasibility of the proposed concept for mass production, critical tests were conducted on the material system and the process of modifying the surface of the ETFE foil. These tests included evaluating adhesion strength between layers, optical transmission coefficients, and electrical parameters of the developed PV modules. Additionally, the effect of the ETFE film modification on the formation of micro-cracks in solar cells was also investigated.