New solar cells may bring 'power' windows
Jul 20 - United Press International
New transparent solar cells will let windows in homes and offices
generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside, U.S.
scientists say.
Researchers at UCLA say they've developed a polymer solar cell that
produces energy by absorbing mainly infrared light, rather than visible
light, making the cells nearly 70 percent transparent to the human eye.
The polymer solar cells are made of a photoactive plastic that
converts infrared light into an electrical current but is less sensitive
to visible light, balancing solar cell performance and transparency in
the visible wavelength region, a UCLA release reported Friday.
"These results open the potential for visibly transparent polymer
solar cells as add-on components of portable electronics, smart windows
and building-integrated photovoltaics and in other applications," study
leader Yang Yang, a professor of materials science and engineering,
said.
"Our new PSCs are made from plastic-like materials and are
lightweight and flexible," Yang said, noting intense world-wide interest
in polymer solar cell technology. "More importantly, they can be
produced in high volume at low cost."
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