Photo: Paul Siewert
Researchers have used carbon dots, created from human hair waste by breaking down the hairs and burning them at 240 degrees celsius to create a kind of “armour” to improve the performance of cutting-edge solar technology. The carbon nanodots could be used to improve the performance of perovskites solar cells–seen as the best PV candidate to deliver low-cost, highly efficient solar electricity in coming years. They’ve proven to be as effective in power conversion efficiency as currently commercially available monocrystalline silicon solar cells. In a study, after adding a solution of carbon dots into the process of making the perovskites, the dots formed a wave-like perovskite layer where the perovskite crystals were surrounded by the dots, creating a kind of protective layer. The challenge is to make the technology cheaper and more stable. Unlike silicon cells, they’re created with an easily manufactured compound and are flexible so usable in things like solar-powered clothing, backpacks that charge your devices on the go and even tents able to serve as standalone power sources.
Story Source: Queensland University of Technology
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210408112401.htm