New solar cell material achieves almost 100% efficiency, could solve world-wide energy problems

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-39807-113.html


Columbus (OH) - Researchers at Ohio State University have accidentally discovered a new solar cell material capable of absorbing all of the sun's visible light energy. The material is comprised of a hybrid of plastics, molybdenum and titanium. The team discovered it not only fluoresces (as most solar cells do), but also phosphoresces. Electrons in a phosphorescent state remain at a place where they can be "siphoned off" as electricity over 7 million times longer than those generated in a fluorescent state. This combination of materials also utilizes the entire visible spectrum of light energy, translating into a theoretical potential of almost 100% efficiency. Commercial products are still years away, but this foundational work may well pave the way for a truly renewable form of clean, global energy.


A complete study of the team's work appears in the current issue of "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" (PNAS).


Fluorescence and phosphorescence

Traditional solar cell materials use a property called fluorescence to gather electricity. Energy from the sun strikes whatever material they are made of resulting in a momentary "dislodging" of electrons into an excited state. The excited electrons exist due to a property called fluorescence. They last only a dozen or so picoseconds (trillionths of a second) in this state, which is also called a "singlet state." The many picosecond dwell there is fairly typical among traditional solar cell material in use today.

The new material, which was accidentally discovered using supercomputers to determine possible theoretical molecular configurations, causes not only fluorescing electrons in the singlet state to be created, but also phosphorescing electrons in what's called a "triplet state."

These triplet state electrons remain in their excited state of phosphorescence for scores of microseconds (up to about 200 microseconds, or 0.0002 seconds). With such a long lasting state of free electron flow, their ability to be captured is theoretically significantly greater than existing technologies.

And if the research team's current efforts (of using only a few molecules of the hybrid materials suspended in a liquid solution) can be extended into practical real-world scales, then products yielding nearly 100% solar efficiency may soon be achievable.

[wildbilln864]

1. k&r! nt

[amdezurik]

2. the real test will be if

moronic HOA's ban the use of it...

[Occulus]

40. Yet another reason I want HOAs banned outright.

My mom's house isn't in a HOA, but if one ever formed on her street, I'd be urging her constantly to refuse to be a part of it. She owns the house and the property outright (paid it off years and years ago), my sister and I stand to inherit it, and I will not ever let someone else tell me what color the shades need to be, or how long the grass can grow.

IMO< HOAs- all of them, without exception- stand diametrically opposed to the very concept of The American Dream(tm), and simply should not exist at all. The idea that one can be fined, or a lein placed on one's home, or whatever HOAs do to "get rid of" "noncompliant" owners (!!!) makes my stomach lurch.

No, don't give me that pap about home values. I simply don't care. HOAs should be banned simply because they presume to dictate to you what you may and may not do with your property. There is no place in this country for them, and we need to outlaw them completely.

[begin_within]

3. You would think that energy-producing companies would invest billions into solar,

because once the plant is constructed there is no fuel cost- only the maintenance cost. In the long term it seems like it would be extremely profitable for energy-producing companies.

[old mark]

22. I'd like to think of this as a way to make "energy producing companies" obsolete -

have a solar electricity generating unit in each home and building.

This is quite expensive in the US now, but is happening in Europe.

mark

[begin_within]

29. My neighbors have solar panels on their roof now

here in San Diego, and they generate all the electricity they need, and the surplus is sold back to the power company. We would do the same thing, but the cost of entry is still too high for us.

[JBear]

42. We will be doing the same soon... (nt)

[TheWraith]

28. It's not that simple. You need to look at total cost.

Solar is incredibly expensive per watt to install, even amortized over the 20-25 year lifespan of the panels. When you calculate it on that basis, it's still pretty much the most expensive form of power at 15 cents per watt--almost 4 times the cost of, say, wind, or even nuclear with the price of fuel.

[Zhade]

53. With this, it won't be.

NT!

[Greyhound]

44. No profit. Any solar technology cannot be controlled and distributed at the source

as energy companies have done forever. Just as automakers wouldn't make electric cars because the profits suffer because there is no maintenance to speak of, without controlling the generation and distribution, they are left with manufacturing themselves out of existence.

[old mark]

65. Yeah, but it is being done in Eurpoe and India, just beginning to

take effect here - I agree cost is horrible, but it will come down.

mark

[Canuckistanian]

4. Very encouraging

But I think I'll wait until I see MEASURED results from an actual cell before I get excited about this.

The Ohio team has only produced a few molecules of this material. There could be MANY manufacturing problems yet.

[opihimoimoi]

5. AWESOME.....need more research......until they fly a 747 without oil energy

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Spoiler alert: The secret ingredient is unicorn horns.

I'll believe it when I see it.

[file83]

47. You forgot that the entire mechanism is lubricated with snake oil...

:hide:

[leftchick]

7. how long before Big Energy Giants pay off our politicians

into believing this won't work and won't fund more research? A nanosecond?

:(


k&r

[salguine]

8. I'll bet the people who developed it have already died under mysterious circumstances.

[melm00se]

9. any time I see

100% (or almost 100%) efficiency, my bullshit detector starts to vibrate. perpetual motion machines are 100% efficient too and you know how many of those are out there.

[cobalt1999]

10. Same here.

[TheWraith]

30. Exactly. This is a press release for funding, nothing more.

But it still feeds the conspiracy theory that there's free energy out there, but the oil companies cover it up.

99 times out of 100, when there's a news article talking about a "breakthrough," it's something that can never be brought out of the lab. This is true in medicine, in energy research, in pretty much every field. But people buy in and assume that because X scientist who's looking for more funding said it's so, it must be.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. Scientists don't have press releases for funding.

This is some pop science journalist writing up a trash article to fill a quota.

I'll bet the actual scientists are either laughing their asses off at this article, or infuriated with it for misrepresenting their work. Maybe both.

[melm00se]

33. Actually

Scientists don't have press releases for funding.

in a world of finite resources, you use whatever tools at your disposal to attract attention and a press release/article like this would certainly gain attention and interest (otherwise a thread like this would never have been created)

[slutticus]

11. Anyone able to find the article?

I can't seem to find it. :|

[seemslikeadream]

12. It takes a minute to come up from the link

[slutticus]

13. No, I mean the actual scientific article from PNAS.

Can anyone find it on the site?

[slutticus]

15. Found It.

http://www.pnas.org/content/105/40/15247.short

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. As I suspected.

The article in the OP's a lot of hot air.

[seemslikeadream]

19. Researchers at Ohio State University, excuse me?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. Poorly written scientifically illiterate mumbo jumbo.

[seemslikeadream]

21. Yes we know you can't understand it but..........kinda like that French newspaper?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Lulz.

I'm not the one that posted the silly OP.

[seemslikeadream]

24. For someone that is not familiar with a well known French newspaper I'll take you opinion with

a grain of salt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. I'm glad you haven't shifted on your nonsense platform.

[seemslikeadream]

26. Just because you can't understand something..........

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. Ah, but I can understand it.

Which is why I know you're embarassing yourself.

[seemslikeadream]

31. Thanks Kreskin

[Occulus]

43. None of that seems like crank woo to me...

A development like this has long been the Holy Grail of solar technology.

Wasn't nylon also accidentally discovered?

I think you're right. Hoo-hoo doesn't understand any of it.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

45. Really?

Ignoring the half-backed, irrelevant explanations on the differences between phosphorescence fluroescence, the canard about computational chemistry, and how the actual scientific article makes none of the claims in the pop article, you missed the bit about "if you believe in anything in science, you believe renewable energy generation is out there?"

[endthewar]

59. There you go, actually reading the entire article

You're supposed to jump for joy after reading the headline and just assume that they've really discovered something. :rofl:

[slutticus]

49. This is a basic research paper. I'm not sure where the efficiency numbers come from.

Cool stuff though. I should have paid more attention in quantum chem.....

[seemslikeadream]

16. Here's the current issue I'm looking

http://www.pnas.org/content/current

[Javaman]

14. this also in, cold fusion a reality!! news at 11.

I'm sooooooooo holding my breath on this one.

[endthewar]

57. Also, room temperature super conductors just around the corner

[ItNerd4life]

17. I can't even pronounce the words

but it would be great if this were true. But nothing is ever 100%.

[dysfunctional press]

34. accidental discoveries are the best kind.

nt.

[hedgehog]

35. I find the notion of an accidental discovery amazing. Can you see it now:

"Like, Jerry, Fred and I were horsing around with some hybrids of plastics, molybdenum and titanium one night after a couple of beers, and then they started glowing, and I was like, Dude, what did you put in the beer? and Jerry was like, "I didn't screw with the beer, that stuff's really glowing" and Fred said Maybe we accidentally discovered something and I was like Whoa..

[Canuckistanian]

41. LOL -"Hey, you got molybdenum in my titanium plastic!"

Some of the best inventions ever made were made by someone screwing around with something that they had NO CLUE about.

[yardwork]

36. Invest in solar energy.

[happydreams]

37. Seemslikeadream.....

hopefully it turns out to be more than that. :-)

[leftofthedial]

38. how am I gonna run my Escalade off'n one a them?

Ain't gonna happen. It's unamerican.

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[ColbertWatcher]

39. "Researchers ... have accidentally discovered ..."

That is exactly why the GOP cannot be allowed to have a say in science at all.

They are absolutely certain of what they're certain about, including which technologies should be funded and which should be legal. Stem cell research for instance.

I love this article, I'm excited by this new discovery regardless whether or not it was intentional.

[Homer Wells]

46. Reminds me of the novel "Ecotopia" nt

[Laelth]

48. I am deeply suspicious.

Anything near 100% conservation of energy would be a scientific miracle. Do we have scientists looking for capital investment here?

I hope this is true and accurate, of course.

-Laelth

[slutticus]

50. I think the author of the news article is confusing full spectral involvement with 100% effeciency.

Honest mistake I think....but it's very interesting research.

[lumberjack_jeff]

52. Using the full spectrum is a big breakthrough. Pity the article misinterpreted.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

64. Yeah.

Even more of a pity that nothing regarding full-spectrum absorption appears in the scientific article.

[JerseygirlCT]

51. How totally cool is that?!! Thanks for sharing that nt

[BrklynLiberal]

54. K & R

[HughMoran]

55. Sounds promising

I need to try to understand how this technology works.

[frankowen7]

56. K & R

[endthewar]

58. RE: Accidental discoveries in science these days

Often used to hype up a finding because it appeals to a sense of intrigue within non-science people. It's the difference between selling a scientific discovery to the scientific community vs. selling it to the media.

[autorank]

60. Yep, them, the 12 year old kid in Oregon, the MIT guy - we're approaching

a singularity for energy...yet we continue a mind set of deprivation and poverty consciousness.

It won't be covered, it's just there.

But we know. THANK YOU!

[sofa king]

61. I'd settle for 50% efficiency today.

Rather than a "theoretical potential" of 100% when the cow jumps over the moon.

[lonestarnot]

62. woohoo!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[progressoid]

63. And if you put these magnets in your pants, you'll get a bigger schnitzengruben.

nearly 100% ??

Let's just say I'm skeptical.

[earth mom]

66. Sorry I'm too late to rec this!

:kick: