Nanotechnology used to convert sun rays into electricity
Thursday, February 21st, 2008 | Nanotechnology
Was just reading an article at science daily and thought would share with you. It’s about using nanoparticles to convert solar energy to electricity. Sunlight to electric current. What we currently have is silicon metal is used to convert solar energy into electric energy by concentrating sun rays at a point. Though silicon is available on vast quantity on earth,but the special grade silicon required to make silicon chips is limited. Currently,converting solar energy into electricity is not that cheap. It require a lot of investment first to setup even small appliances for domestic use.
The article argues that we should make solar energy absorbing material (like silicon chip) of noble metals like gold,platinum,silver. But i would say, wouldn’t that be costly using noble metals in place of silica.They haven’t explained this point in article. The absorption of solar energy from sunlight is dependent on the fact that electrons of any elements oscillate at a definite frequency and so does sun light electron oscillate at a frequency. When it strikes from both sides(the electrons),energy is transmitted. Currently i suppose conversion rate of solar energy into electricity is quite low(some few percent % only). What researchers intend to do is match the frequency of electrons of elements with exactly that of sunlight electrons oscillation.
Also nanotechnology will be used to see the properties of metals of absorbing sunlight in different spectrum colours(remember VIBGYOR?). Or maybe simply they employ oscillations of elements to generate heat !More oscillations,more energy!..lol..but its seriously funny because we can’t say much until we test out.
As i said,using noble metals for absorbing energy would be costly,it is argued that only a thin coat of those noble metals will be required for absorbing energy. Though i would i like to go much deep withing this post but stopping here, not making the post more complex. Trying to keep this types of articles simple,but what shall i do,i lose control over length once i start explaining :( 
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1 Comment to Nanotechnology used to convert sun rays into electricity
[...] We badly need an alternative source of pollution free energy to meet our day to day plus increasing development needs. Mineral oil reserves are estimated to last upto 2020 and coal upto 220 years more. So its not much far and it makes me go mad seeing the petrol and oil prices that would be 2018-2019. How many thousand dollars per barrel ? Leave oil prices, but just think how much pollution it will create. A day without electricity and oil is unimaginable. Though we are going fast in field on alternate sources like solar cells and even mass production of biodiesel, but especially talking about solar energy, it is currently expensive to produce as the metals and special grade silicon used to convert solar energy into electricity is very much less and expensive (silver is used in solar panels). Solar cells have less efficiency in converting solar energy into electricity. [...]
March 22, 2008