Nanotechnology for solar cells and more!
Hope everyone had a good Christmas! Now, time to get back to it! First up, researchers from Toronto have developed nanocrystals which are able to absorb infrared light. This is basically heat, with a longer wavelength than visible light. While we can’t see it with our eyes, we can feel its effects on our skin, for instance. (Note that it’s not what burns us - that’s ultraviolet (UV) light. Again it’s invisible to our eyes, but has a much shorter wavelength which means much more energy and is what burns us.)
Why do you want infrared sensors like this? How about a wall that can see in the dark? Or a digital camera that can work in low light? Or what about clothing that can electricity from the sun? These aren’t new ideas, but what’s cool about these crystals is that they can be sprayed onto surfaces - they don’t have to be carefully placed. Already the group has plans to build solar cells that can absorb visible light (as per normal) and infrared light using this new technology, and can be sprayed onto walls or clothes! They’re hoping that the new cells will convert 30% of the sun’s light into energy, compared with only 6% currently - that’s 5 times as much!
You’ve got to wonder - whare are these so-called “smart clothes”, which can generate power, resist stains and adjust their temperature, going to do to fashion?!