Stanford researchers create ‘world’s first’ all-carbon solar cell, do it on the cheap
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Harnessing the awesome power of the Sun isn’t just dependent on the efficiency of solar cells, but also on making them affordable. Current techniques aren’t exactly cheap, but researchers from
The carbon amalgam can be applied from solution using simple methods, meaning the flexible cells could be used to coat surfaces, although you won’t be seeing it smeared over anything too soon. The prototype only touts a “laboratory efficiency of less than 1 percent,” so it can’t compete with traditional solar cells just yet. Also, it only absorbs a sliver of the light spectrum, but the researchers are looking to other forms of the wonder element which could increase that range. They are hoping that improving the structure of the cells will help to boost their efficiency, too. They might never generate the most energy, but the all-carbon cells can remain stable under extreme conditions, meaning they could find their calling in harsh environments where brawn is a little more important than status, or looks.
Stanford researchers create ‘world’s first’ all-carbon solar cell, do it on the cheap originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Every day, there is bound to be news of a new tablet in the pipeline, and most of the time, these would be of the Android operating system variety. After all, the iPad from Apple gets a refresh once a year or so, and Windows 8 has yet to make a splash despite the Microsoft Surface tablet looking good when it was previewed earlier this year. Having said that, the latest tablet from the Android camp would be the Archos 97 Carbon, where it will certainly turn heads thanks to the brushed aluminum casing, not to mention having it come in a relatively svelte form factor that measures just 11.5mm thin and weighing all of 620 grams.