Typically, a solar power system involves photovoltaic panels capturing sunlight which they then convert to electricity and store for use to run electronics. This is great for active use but in the past, the process for transferring electrons from a solar panel to a battery has been grossly inefficient; usually only 80 percent of these electrons make the transfer.
But scientists have developed new way to combine these traditionally isolated functions into a single device—the first solar battery. This new design converts particle of light into electrons inside the battery chamber which improves transfer efficiency to near 100 percent.
This has the potential to reduce the cost of solar power by at least 25 percent, as explained by Yiying Wu, the lead inventor on the project. Wu is the professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Ohio State University.
The core of the device is a titanium gauze mesh that has been coated with very small—nanometer-sized—titanium dioxide rods. The holes in the gauze measure only about 200 micrometers across.
The solar panel absorbs the light which then breaks apart the compound of lithium peroxide inside the battery cell to produce lithium ions and oxygen. The oxygen, of course, dissipates into the air, but the lithium ions get stored in the battery cell.
But the genius part of this device is that as the battery discharges energy it will chemically consume the oxygen from the surrounding air in order to re-form the lithium peroxide.
In a press release, Wu explained that “basically, it’s a breathable battery. It breathes in air when it discharges, and breathes out when it charges.”
According to lab tests, Wu and his research team believe the battery life is quite similar with the lifetime of standard rechargeable batteries on the market today.
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