Researchers at QMUL have successfully created electricity-generating solar-cells with chemicals found in the shells of shrimps and other crustaceans for the first time.
The materials chitin and chitosan found in the shells are abundant and significantly cheaper to produce than the expensive metals such as ruthenium, which is similar to platinum, that are currently used in making nanostructured solar-cells.
Currently the efficiency of solar cells made with these biomass-derived materials is low but if it can be improved they could be placed in everything from wearable chargers for tablets, phones and smartwatches, to semi-transparent films over window.
Researchers, from QMUL’s School of Engineering and Materials Science, used a process known as hydrothermal carbonization to create the carbon quantum dots (CQDs) from the widely and cheaply available chemicals found in crustacean shells. They then coat standard zinc oxide nanorods with the CQDs to make the solar cells.
Dr Joe Briscoe, one of the researchers on the project, said: “This could be a great new way to make these versatile, quick and easy to produce solar cells from readily available, sustainable materials. Once we’ve improved their efficiency they could be used anywhere that solar cells are used now, particularly to charge the kinds of devices people carry with them every day.
Read more:Â Cheap solar cells made from shrimp shells
The Latest on: Cheap solar cells
via Google News
The Latest on: Cheap solar cells
- Blistering rooftop solar debate reopened by California regulatorson May 11, 2022 at 2:39 pm
That means rooftop solar rates — aka “net energy metering” — won’t be on a Public Utilities Commission agenda until July, at the earliest. The judge’s questions are quite technical, but center on how ...
- Solar projects are on hold as U.S. investigates whether China is skirting trade ruleson May 11, 2022 at 12:16 pm
A threat to Biden's climate goals Solar panel costs have dropped dramatically in the past ... So that's a lot of jobs, a lot of cheap electricity that is just in jeopardy." "As you can see the weather ...
- SDCEA is confusing its members on solar - Guest Viewon May 11, 2022 at 10:16 am
There continue to be false statements made by our Sangre de Cristo Electric Association that have confused its members: SDCEA repeatedly says that solar generating (net metering) members get to ...
- US probe into solar imports threatens solar capacity installations in 2022on May 10, 2022 at 8:58 pm
As much as 17.5 gigawatts (GWac) of planned US solar capacity installations in 2022 are in doubt after the Department of Commerce (DOC) opened an investigation into panel imports from Southeast Asia.
- Is This The Most Disruptive Event Ever For U.S. Solar?on May 10, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Rising costs and a new threat of tariffs on vital imports are harming the number of solar capacity additions in the U.S. in 2022 ...
- Discarded solar panels from Colorado will help Ukrainian refugees charge their phoneson May 10, 2022 at 1:43 pm
For many of the almost six million refugees fleeing Ukraine, as well as for the millions of civilians still left in the country, something as basic as charging your cell phone can be a challenge. But ...
- Printed Solar Panels Help a Tesla Model 3 Circumnavigate Australiaon May 9, 2022 at 2:16 pm
With no silicon wafers, the raw materials for printing solar cells are extremely cheap. There's nothing exotic about the production process either—the cells can be printed at 33 feet per minute—so the ...
- Solar crisis hits Maine as investigation into Chinese panel manufacturers puts projects on holdon May 6, 2022 at 6:55 pm
Hundreds of large-scale solar power projects are on hold in the U.S., while federal trade officials investigate whether Chinese manufacturers and affiliates in Southeast Asia illegally avoided duties ...
- New York lawmakers work to make solar more affordable for school districtson May 5, 2022 at 8:00 am
Solar energy has been used for more than 2,700 years. It started simple, with glass lenses being used to make fire by magnifying the sun’s rays. The technology has evolved to power our homes, ...
- Berkely Professor: California Mandatory Rooftop Solar Panels Still Not Cost-Effective Compared To Large Farmson April 30, 2022 at 5:00 pm
"Full Measure" host Sharyl Attkisson talks to Professor Severin Borenstein from the University of California Berkeley's Haas School of Business about how the mandatory solar panels on new house ...
via Bing News