Plants inspire new generation of solar cells

The ability of plants to turn sunlight into energy through photosynthesis has been successfully mimicked by scientists at the University of Southampton to produce a new generation of solar cells.

 

The Southampton team led by Professor Pavlos Lagoudakis of the University's School of Physics and Astronomy, has developed a new range of photovoltaic devices that use a process found in vegetative methods of light harvesting, to deliver unprecedented amounts of electrical current from light.

 

In photosynthesis each molecule has evolved to deliver a function that complements the perpetual cycle of light to energy conversion. With the advent of nanoscience, scientists are now able to build devices of multiple nanoscale components, each one designed to deliver a specific functionality.

 

Professor Lagoudakis comments: "We looked at the ways that energy is funneled in nature and through reverse engineering, using multiple nanoscale components, we designed and fabricated a hybrid photovoltaic device that can absorb light and efficiently convert it to electric current.

 

 

Read other articles on the subject: Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system  and Understanding photosynthesis to optimise printed photovoltaics  and Scientific Challenges in Sustainable Energy Technology - DSSC .

 

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