Soon, the silicon solar cells will be taken over by their next generation versions made out of plastics and microscopic crystals. And they are taking shape at the University of Queensland.
Thanks to the UQ Master of Physics student Michael Deceglie. He is testing two new ways of making solar cells – one, out of dye-sensitized solar cell and the other, a combined nanocrystal polymer solar cell.
The dye-sensitized cells use dye molecules to inject electrons into a thin titanium dioxide film
The polymer cell is a thin film of plastic mixed with microscopic crystals — that channel the charge through the cell.
Though both the methods could produce solar cells that had similar efficiencies to current silicon technology, they are cheaper and more flexible, easier to produce and above all more environmentally friendly.
