Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > Researchers develop a path to liquid solar cells that can be printed onto surfaces Liquid solar cells are cheaper, more flexible than existing solar options

Abstract:
Scientists at USC have developed a potential pathway to cheap, stable solar cells made from nanocrystals so small they can exist as a liquid ink and be painted or printed onto clear surfaces.

Researchers develop a path to liquid solar cells that can be printed onto surfaces Liquid solar cells are cheaper, more flexible than existing solar options

Los Angeles, CA | Posted on April 25th, 2012

The solar nanocrystals are about four nanometers in size — meaning you could fit more than 250,000,000,000 on the head of a pin — and float them in a liquid solution, so "like you print a newspaper, you can print solar cells," said Richard L. Brutchey, assistant professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Brutchey and USC postdoctoral researcher David H. Webber developed a new surface coating for the nanocrystals, which are made of the semiconductor cadmium selenide. Their research is featured as a "hot article" this month in the international journal for inorganic chemistry Dalton Transactions.

Liquid nanocrystal solar cells are cheaper to fabricate than available single-crystal silicon wafer solar cells but are not nearly as efficient at converting sunlight to electricity. Brutchey and Webber solved one of the key problems of liquid solar cells: how to create a stable liquid that also conducts electricity.

In the past, organic ligand molecules were attached to the nanocrystals to keep them stable and to prevent them from sticking together. These molecules also insulated the crystals, making the whole thing terrible at conducting electricity.

"That has been a real challenge in this field," Brutchey said.

Brutchey and Webber discovered a synthetic ligand that not only works well at stabilizing nanocrystals, but actually builds tiny bridges connecting the nanocrystals to help transmit current.

With a relatively low-temperature process, the researchers' method also allows for the possibility that solar cells can be printed onto plastic instead of glass without any issues with melting - resulting in a flexible solar panel that can be shaped to fit anywhere.

As they continue their research, Brutchey said he plans to work on nanocrystals built from materials other than cadmium, which is restricted in commercial applications due to toxicity.

"While the commercialization of this technology is still years away, we see a clear path forward toward integrating this into the next generation of solar cell technologies," Brutchey said.

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation and USC Dornsife.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Robert Perkins

213-740-9226

Copyright © University of Southern California

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

SEMATECH to Address Critical Supply Chain Challenges and Present Latest Technology Advances at SEMICON West 2013 June 17th, 2013

An Innovative material for the Green Earth: Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption June 17th, 2013

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells: Platinum-nickel nano-octahedra save 90 percent platinum June 17th, 2013

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates: Rice scientists apply drug-design lessons to production of industrial minerals June 17th, 2013

An Innovative material for the Green Earth: Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption June 17th, 2013

Nanoparticle Opens the Door to Clean-Energy Alternatives June 14th, 2013

Discovery of new material state counterintuitive to laws of physics June 14th, 2013

Discoveries

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates: Rice scientists apply drug-design lessons to production of industrial minerals June 17th, 2013

An Innovative material for the Green Earth: Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption June 17th, 2013

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells: Platinum-nickel nano-octahedra save 90 percent platinum June 17th, 2013

Announcements

An Innovative material for the Green Earth: Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption June 17th, 2013

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells: Platinum-nickel nano-octahedra save 90 percent platinum June 17th, 2013

AXEON Acquires Assets of Leading Reverse Osmosis Systems Manufacturer June 17th, 2013

Energy

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells: Platinum-nickel nano-octahedra save 90 percent platinum June 17th, 2013

Nanoparticles helping to recover more oil June 15th, 2013

Nanoparticle Opens the Door to Clean-Energy Alternatives June 14th, 2013

Solar/Photovoltaic

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Further research on effects of nanomaterials: BASF participates in BMBF research project on safety of nanomaterials: Results allow easier and faster evaluation of nanoparticle behavior June 12th, 2013

Graphene and semiconductor technology together: smaller, cheaper, better June 12th, 2013

Space Solar Power: Key to a Livable Planet Earth June 10th, 2013

Printing/Lithography/Inkjet

Light-Carved ‘Nano-Volcanoes’ Hold Promise for Drug Delivery June 13th, 2013

Further research on effects of nanomaterials: BASF participates in BMBF research project on safety of nanomaterials: Results allow easier and faster evaluation of nanoparticle behavior June 12th, 2013

Spooky action put to order Different types of 'entanglement' classified June 6th, 2013

New microfluidic method expands toolbox for nanoparticle manipulation June 5th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE







  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE