Solar energy is one of the most popular alternative energy sources, providing cleaner and much more affordable power. However, current solar harvesting technologies don't manage to capture as much sunlight as they could.
Now, though, according to Interesting Engineering, researchers from Korea University may have found a solution to the problem of limited harvesting. Their paper on the matter was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces in January.
The team from Korea University discovered a material that can absorb most wavelengths in the solar spectrum, potentially greatly increasing the amount of sunlight that solar technologies can harvest. Specifically, the research team developed supraballs, or gold nanospheres, that absorb several wavelengths that currently used photovoltaic materials do not.
Scientists already knew that silver and gold nanoparticles offer potential for harvesting solar energy and are relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture. However, currently available nanoparticles can only absorb a fraction of the solar spectrum.
The researchers from Korea University decided to build upon the idea of using gold nanoparticles by utilizing self-assembling gold supraballs. These supraballs consist of gold nanoparticles that bunch up together to form small spheres.
By adjusting the supraballs' diameter, researchers were able to broaden the number of wavelengths on the solar spectrum that they could absorb.
However, the team still needed to test the supraballs' efficiency. They began by using computer simulations to optimize the design and estimate their overall performance. The result of these tests showed that supraballs might be able to absorb 90% of solar wavelengths.
Next, researchers tested these simulations in the real world by coating a thermoelectric generator with a liquid solution containing supraballs and then exposing it to an LED solar simulator. This test showed that the average solar absorption of the supraballs was 89%. The typical absorption rate of single gold nanoparticles is only 45%.
"Our plasmonic supraballs offer a simple route to harvesting the full solar spectrum," Seungwoo Lee, one of the scientists involved in the research, explained in a press release. "Ultimately, this coating technology could significantly lower the barrier for high-efficiency solar-thermal and photothermal systems in real-world energy applications."
If these supraballs become a more widely adopted material in creating solar panels, they could drive some significant savings for communities and homeowners using solar energy, as more solar power could be harvested for less. With more affordable solar energy, more communities could transition to this power source, greatly reducing air pollution and making the air cleaner.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you?
Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades. |
Save $1,000 this year 💸 Still, there are ways to obtain solar at a price that works for your budget. The experts at EnergySage can help you save up to $10,000 on installations by curating competitive bids from local installers. If you're not ready to spend up front, Palmetto's $0-down LightReach solar leasing program can lower your utility rate by up to 20%.
Whether the research team's new supraballs will become a new material for solar panels remains to be seen, but this development makes the future look brighter indeed.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
Cool Picks
