A team of scientists from the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University in Coimbatore, India, has created a photovoltaic functional pattern by developing solar panels with organic algae , allowing progress in the energy branch.
Solar panels with organic algae
This advance focuses on the use of the macroalgae Pithophora , a special algae that is commonly found in ponds and other bodies of freshwater, forming dense mats on the surface of the water or growing on the seabed.
[post_relacionado]The researchers collected these algae and processed them into small fragments to create a biofilm. This biofilm was placed between two modified electrodes: a top copper electrode coated with activated carbon and a bottom titanium oxide electrode coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide . These components function respectively as the electron and hole transport layers.
Preliminary research results were promising, especially in low-power applications. This would allow the supply and energy upgrade of small solar panels and integrated batteries .
Although the current efficiency of these biophotovoltaic devices is lower in relation to silicon solar cell technology and perovskites , the use of algae offers an ecological alternative because it does not require expensive or toxic materials and can be grown using renewable resources. .
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Source and photo: elespanol.com