Research uses virus to make solar cells more efficient

(ADPnews) - Apr 28, 2011 - A research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has found that a genetically modified virus could raise the power-conversion efficiency of solar cells by almost one third.
The study, which was published on the website of the journal Nature Nanotechnology this week is based on conclusions that carbon nanotubes, which are tiny cylinders made of pure carbon, can make the process of collecting electrons from the surface of a solar cell after they have been knocked loose by sunlight more efficient.
The M13 virus, which usually affects bacteria, helps with two problems that had obstructed earlier attempts to employ the nanotubes. The problems are that the production of carbon nanotubes usually results in two types, which the research found had a contrastive effect on the solar cell performance, and that the nanotubes are prone to clumping together, which makes them less effective.
The MIT researchers discovered that a genetically-modified version of the virus can manage the arrangement of the nanotubes, holding them separate in order not to short out the circuits, and preventing them from clumping.
The researchers conducted their tests on dye-sensitized solar cells but say that the method could be used with other types of cells. The experiments showed that implanting the virus-based structures improved the efficiency of power conversion to 10.6% from 8%.
The scientists believe that with more work efficiency could be increased further.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!