Post by Dave on Sept 15, 2010 20:35:16 GMT -5
This is fascinating ...
A Solar Cell That Renews Itself
Plants use sunlight for energy, and do so every day for years. But humans haven't been able to duplicate that feat - until now.
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists have found a way to get energy from sunlight with chemicals similar to those plants use. In addition, it works for long periods of time, with the chemicals used able to reassemble themselves.
A closeup of the test cell the team built to measure the properties of the self-assembling photosynthetic system.
Michael Strano, an associate professor of chemical engineering, says he has been studying plant biology for some time. He wanted to see if he could duplicate photosynthesis, turning sunlight into power as efficiently as plants do. "It's not at all like static photovoltaic cells," he said. "I'm just fascinated by it."
What he did was to take a chemical called a phospholipid, and put it in a solution of water with carbon nanotubes and molecules called reaction centers.
Phospholipods are a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic, meaning the molecule is attracted to water on one side and repels water on the other. In water, the hydrophobic side tries to push away from the surrounding molecules. That forces the phospholipid into a tiny disc shape.
Next the nanotubes, which also repel water, are attracted to the phospholipids. That makes a configuration of a layer of nanotubes sandwiched between two phospholipids.
The reaction center is then attracted to one side of the "sandwich." Strano likened it to an olive on a stick stuck in a hamburger. The toothpick is the side of the molecule that is forced into the bun by the water.
CONTINUED AT:
www.ibtimes.com/articles/60269/20100907/self-renewing-solar-cell.htm
A Solar Cell That Renews Itself
Plants use sunlight for energy, and do so every day for years. But humans haven't been able to duplicate that feat - until now.
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists have found a way to get energy from sunlight with chemicals similar to those plants use. In addition, it works for long periods of time, with the chemicals used able to reassemble themselves.
A closeup of the test cell the team built to measure the properties of the self-assembling photosynthetic system.
Michael Strano, an associate professor of chemical engineering, says he has been studying plant biology for some time. He wanted to see if he could duplicate photosynthesis, turning sunlight into power as efficiently as plants do. "It's not at all like static photovoltaic cells," he said. "I'm just fascinated by it."
What he did was to take a chemical called a phospholipid, and put it in a solution of water with carbon nanotubes and molecules called reaction centers.
Phospholipods are a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic, meaning the molecule is attracted to water on one side and repels water on the other. In water, the hydrophobic side tries to push away from the surrounding molecules. That forces the phospholipid into a tiny disc shape.
Next the nanotubes, which also repel water, are attracted to the phospholipids. That makes a configuration of a layer of nanotubes sandwiched between two phospholipids.
The reaction center is then attracted to one side of the "sandwich." Strano likened it to an olive on a stick stuck in a hamburger. The toothpick is the side of the molecule that is forced into the bun by the water.
CONTINUED AT:
www.ibtimes.com/articles/60269/20100907/self-renewing-solar-cell.htm