Imagine someday driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producin

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:26:48 GMT

Somenath Mitra, PhD, is among a group of NJIT researchers working to develop an inexpensive, easy process to produce solar panels. (Source: New Jersey Institute of Technology)

"Imagine someday driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producing electricity to drive the engine. The opportunities are endless," Mitra said.

The solar cell developed at NJIT uses a carbon nanotubes complex, combined with carbon "Buckyballs," or fullerenes. Together, these nanomaterials form snake-like structures using Buckyballs to trap electrons generated by polymers exposed to sunlight. Nanotubes are used to conduct the electrons, creating a flowing current.

"Fullerene single wall carbon nanotube complex for polymer bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells," recently published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Scientists say the plastic panels could be cranked out at home with an inkjet printer

Tags: flexiblephotovoltaic

Solar cells you can paint on the wall

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:07:24 GMT

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Clip Source: www.newbuilder.co.uk

Solar cells you can paint on the wall

Somenath Mitra, professor of the Institute's department of chemistry and environmental sciences the process is so simple

The process involves using carbon nanotubes as an electron conductor. Nanotubes, a molecular configuration of carbon in a cylindrical shape, are an estimated 50,000 times smaller that a human hair but have properties ideal for collecting solar energy. Size for size, they are a better conductor than copper.

"We foresee a great deal of interest in our work because solar cells can be inexpensively printed or simply painted on exterior building walls and/or roof tops. Imagine some day driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producing electricity to drive the engine. The opportunities are endless."

Tags: flexiblephotovoltaic

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Imagine someday driving in your hybrid car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which is producin

Solar cells you can paint on the wall