News tagged with cell materials

New solar energy conversion process could revamp solar power production

Stanford engineers have figured out how to simultaneously use the light and heat of the sun to generate electricity in a way that could make solar power production more than twice as efficient as existing ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Aug 02, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (64) | comments 38 | with audio podcast

Researchers develop a way to funnel solar energy

(PhysOrg.com) -- Using carbon nanotubes (hollow tubes of carbon atoms), MIT chemical engineers have found a way to concentrate solar energy 100 times more than a regular photovoltaic cell. Such nanotubes could ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Sep 12, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (32) | comments 15 | with audio podcast

Print your own lasers, lights and TV screens

Imagine printing your own room lighting, lasers, or solar cells from inks you buy at the local newsagent. Jacek Jasieniak and his colleagues at CSIRO, the University of Melbourne and the University of Padua ...

Physics / General Physics

created Jul 01, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (29) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Researchers print solar cells on toilet paper, other delicate materials (w/ Video)

To demonstrate how a new fabrication technique can print solar cells on extremely thin, flexible materials, researchers from MIT have patterned solar cells onto ordinary toilet paper. While toilet paper may ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Jan 04, 2011 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (26) | comments 11 | with audio podcast weblog

Molecular light sources sensitive to environment

A Dutch-French team of scientists led by FOM (Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter) researcher Dr Danang Birowosuto and University of Twente researcher Dr Allard Mosk has obtained the first experimental ...

Physics / Condensed Matter

created Jul 30, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (24) | comments 0

Study predicts nanoscience will greatly increase efficiency of next-generation solar cells

As the fastest growing energy technology in the world, solar energy continues to account for more and more of the world’s energy supply. Currently, most commercial photovoltaic power comes from bulk semiconductor materials. ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Aug 13, 2010 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (26) | comments 1 | with audio podcast feature

Scientists invent long-lasting, near infrared-emitting material

Materials that emit visible light after being exposed to sunlight are commonplace and can be found in everything from emergency signage to glow-in-the-dark stickers. But until now, scientists have had little ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Nov 20, 2011 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (26) | comments 10 | with audio podcast

Discovery of a 'dark state' could increase maximum theoretical efficiency of solar cells from 31 to 44 percent

The efficiency of conventional solar cells could be significantly increased, according to new research on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion led by chemist Xiaoyang Zhu at The University of Texas at Austin.

Physics / Condensed Matter

created Dec 15, 2011 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (23) | comments 12 | with audio podcast

Quantum dots with built-in charge boost solar cell efficiency by 50%

(PhysOrg.com) -- For the past few years, researchers have been using quantum dots to increase the light absorption and overall efficiency of solar cells. Now, researchers have taken a step further, demonstrating ...

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created May 13, 2011 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (21) | comments 13 | with audio podcast feature

Millions of molecules screened in search for the ideal organic solar cell material

(PhysOrg.com) -- Currently, the cost of electricity from commercial silicon solar cells is about 10 times higher than the cost of utility-scale electricity. In order to make solar cells cost-competitive with ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Sep 12, 2011 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (21) | comments 12 | with audio podcast feature

Cheap, abundant cathode material found for producing hydrogen fuel (w/ video)

(PhysOrg.com) -- By replacing catalysts made of expensive noble metals like platinum with cheaper, earth-abundant materials, researchers have taken a step toward enabling the large-scale production of hydrogen ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created May 10, 2011 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (22) | comments 60 | with audio podcast feature

Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry

Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy.

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Jun 28, 2011 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (21) | comments 12 | with audio podcast

Discovery paves way for development of efficient, inexpensive plastic solar cells

Physicists at Rutgers University have discovered new properties in a material that could result in efficient and inexpensive plastic solar cells for pollution-free electricity production.

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Oct 10, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (20) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Inexpensive catalyst that makes hydrogen gas 10 times faster than natural enzyme

Looking to nature for their muse, researchers have used a common protein to guide the design of a material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas. The synthetic material works 10 times faster than the original ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Aug 11, 2011 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (20) | comments 9 | with audio podcast

Nano-LEDs emit full visible spectrum of light

(PhysOrg.com) -- Physicists from Taiwan have designed and fabricated nano-sized light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit light spanning the entire visible spectrum. Although the tiny full-color LEDs aren't intended ...

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created Jun 17, 2011 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (18) | comments 2 | with audio podcast feature