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North Carolina research workers demonstrate how water based \'artificial leaf\' generates electricity

By Colleen Jane Mcguire on 1st October, 2010

Were you aware that a North Carolina State University team has shown that water gel-based solar devices (called: "artificial leaves") can work like solar cells to make electricity?

The analysis has been released on-line within the Journal of Materials Chemistry by Doctor. Orlin Velev, an Invista Professor associated with Chemical and Bio-molecular Engineering.

The conclusions prove the idea for making solar cells that more closely imitate nature. They also have the opportunity to be more affordable and more eco-friendly than the existing standard silicon based solar cells.

The bendable units are composed of water-based gel infused together with light-sensitive molecules (like plant chlorophyll) coupled with electrodes coated by carbon components, such as carbon nanotubes or graphite.

Graphene is the fundamental structural element of a few carbon allotropes such as graphite, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. Graphene is a 1-atom thick planar sheet of carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. The title comes from graphite ene; graphite itself consists of several graphene sheets stacked together.

The light-sensitive molecules get "excited" by the sun's rays to produce electricity, similar to plant molecules that get excited to synthesize sugars in order to grow.

Dr. Velev claims that the study team hopes to "learn how to copy the materials through which nature harnesses solar energy." Although synthetic light-sensitive molecules can be used, Velev says naturally derived products, like chlorophyll, are also very easily integrated in these devices because of their particular water-gel matrix.

Velev even imagines a future where roofs could be covered with soft sheets of similar electricity-generating artificial-leaf photo voltaic cells. The concept of biologically inspired 'soft' units for generating electricity may well in the future offer an alternative for the present-day solid-state technologies.

About the Author: Colleen Jane Mcguire is currently writing for the solar fountains for ponds blog, her personal hobby blog focused on suggestions to help property owners to spend a smaller amount energy with solar energy.

Reference: Aqueous soft matter based photovoltaic devices. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2011; DOI: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/JM/c0jm01820a


Category:  Environment

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