NANOTECHNOLOGY applications in solar cells

Contents

What is nanotechnology?

Working of conventional solar cells

Infrared plastic solar cell

Working of plastic solar cell

Improvements

Applications

Advantages

Limitations

conclusion

What is nanotechnology?

The pursuit of nanotechnology comprises a wide variety of disciplines: chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, materials science, molecular biology and computer science.

Because of it’s mature form, nanotechnology will have significant impact on all industries for it’s long lasting, cleaner, safer and smarter technology.

Process

Basically a solar cell is made up of silicon based layer called PV cells in which it absorbs heat from the sun and produces energy.

This energy from the sun excites the electrons to flow freely between the cells and this produces current and is absorbed by the conductor around the cells.

Working of conventional solar cell

Process of getting current

Infrared plastic solar cell

Scientists have invented a plastic solar cell that can turn the suns power into electrical energy even on a cloudy day.

The new material uses nanotechnology and absorbs the infrared part of the sun’s energy. It uses the 1st generation solar cells which absorbs energy efficiently.

Working of plastic solar cell

The solar cell consists of nanorods dispersed in the cell and present in a layer between electrodes. Nanorods are made of cadmium selenide having diameter 7 nm and length 60 nm and is coated by aluminum and heat is absorbed by the cells and are used to move electrons freely forming current.

Solar energy given to earth is 10000 times than what we consume and if we use 1% of it we can overcome our power.

Improvements

Some of the obvious improvements include better light collection and concentration, which already are employed in commercial solar cells.

Significant improvements can be made in the plastic, nanorods mix, too, ideally packing the nanorods closer together, perpendicular to the electrodes, using minimal polymer, or even none-the nanorods would transfer their electrons more directly to the electrode.

In their first-generation solar cells, the nanorods are jumbled up in the polymer, leading to losses of current via electron-hole recombination and thus lower efficiency.

They also hope to tune the nanorods to absorb different colors to span the spectrum of sunlight. An eventual solar cell has three layers each made of nanorods that absorb at different wavelength.

Applications

Silicon possesses some nano scale properties. This is being exploited in the development of a super thin disposable solar panel poster which could offer the rural dwellers a cheap and an alternative source of power

Like paint the compound can also be sprayed onto other materials and used as portable electricity.Any chip coated in the material could power cell phone or

other wireless devices. A hydrogen powered car painted with the film could

potentially convert energy into electricity to continually recharge the car’s battery.

One day solar farms consisting of plastic materials could be rolled across deserts to generate enough clear energy to supply the entire planet’s power needs.

Advantages

Plastic solar cells are quite a lot useful in the coming future. This is because of the large number of advantages it has got. Some of the major advantages are:

They are considered to be 30% more efficient when compared to conventional solar cells.They are more efficient and more practical in application.

Traditional solar cells are bulky panels. This is very compact. Conventional solar cells are only used for large applications

with big budgets. But the plastic solar cells are feasible as they can be even sewn into fabric- thus having vast applications.

Flexible, roller processed solar cells have the potential to turn the sun’s power into a clean, green, consistent source of energy.

Some applications

Limitations

The biggest problem with this is cost effectiveness. But that could change with new material. But chemists have found a way to make cheap plastic solar cells flexible enough to paint onto any surface and potentially able to provide electricity for wearable electronics or other low power devices.

Relatively shorter life span when continuously exposed to sunlight.

Could possibly require higher maintenance and constant monitoring.

Conclusion

Plastic solar cells help in exploiting the infrared radiation from the suns rays. They are more effective when compared to the conventional solar cell. The major advantage they enjoy is that they can even work on cloudy days, which is not possible in the former. They are more compact and less bulkier.

Though at present, cost is a major draw back, it is bound be solved in the future

As explained earlier, if the solar farms can become a reality, it could possibly solve the planets problem of depending too much on the fossil fuels, without a chance of even polluting the environment.

References

1. Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications: Edelstein, A. S., Cammarata, R. C., Eds.; Institute of Physics Publishing: Bristol and Philadelphia, 1996.near future as scientists are working in that direction.

2. Solar energy-fundamentals, design, modeling, applications- G.N. Tiwari

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