Graphene layer lets solar panels generate energy in rain
QINGDAO, China, April 6
(UPI) -- Engineers and materials scientists have made
solar panels increasingly efficient, but the technology still requires the
cooperation of the weather. Currently, slow-moving rain fronts spell bad news
for solar power generation -- but not for a new prototype solar cell developed
by a team of Chinese scientists.
By coating a solar cell in a
thin layer of graphene, researchers have empowered the technology to turn raindrops into
electricity.
Graphene is prized by materials scientists for its wide variety
of benefits, one of them being conductivity. The one-atom-thick layer of carbon
atoms allows a plethora of electrons to move freely across its surface. In
water solutions, graphene binds positively charged ions with its electrons -- a
process known as the Lewis acid-base interaction.
Because raindrops contain
salts, which dissociate into ions, precipitation and graphene make an ideal
electricity-producing pair. The rain's positively charged ions -- including
sodium, calcium, and ammonium ions -- adhere to the graphene surface and form a
double layer with the graphene's electrons.
The double layer is known as
a pseudocapacitor, and the potential energy difference between the two layers
is strong enough to generate an electric current.
From NCRA
Trenton H. Cotney
Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer
Trent Cotney, P.A.
407 N. Howard Avenue
Suite 100
Tampa, FL 33606
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