Solar Paint—The Next Big Thing By Joao Peixe | Sat, 28 September 2013 16:40 | 3 A team of researchers from the University of Alberta developed a cost-effective solar cell made with spray-paint like synthetics, and are now touting it as the breakthrough that will prove solar power isn’t as expensive to harness as we thought. Jillian Buriak, a chemistry professor at the University of Alberta used zinc and phosphide nanoparticles in their research, saying this is some of the most promising material in the solar cell industry, and far more common than materials currently used in solar panels, such as cadmium. Buriak and his team found these particles dissolved to form an ink. When sprayed and dried, the thin film was responsive to light. Essentially, they have designed nanoparticles that absorb light and conduct electricity from two very common elements: phosphorus and zinc. Both materials are more plentiful than scarce materials such as cadmium and are free from manufacturing restrictions imposed on lead-based nanoparticles.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 02:00:37 +0000
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