10月13日VOA聽力：新型資料或能進步太陽能板效能
Rapidly expanding solar cell technology currentlyrelies on expensive photovoltaic materials such assilicon or cadmium telluride,which is why theirproduction, installation and maintenance costs arestill high.
St.Mary's College assistant professor Troy Townsendsays less efficient but much cheaper inorganicmaterials could be used to create paintable solar cells.
To make up for the low efficiency, this could be used to cover large surfaces, such as the roofsof entire communities.
“Typically, silicon solar cells are between 16 and 18 percent efficient.
There have been some commercially available cadmium telluride solar cells, from First Solar,that have gotten up to 20 percent.
Our devices right now are between 5 and 12 percent.”
The photovoltaic material can be synthesized by mixing nanocrystals with organic solvents.
They can be printed, sprayed or spin-coated to make an entire device fully solution-processed.
Once deposited on a suitable surface, such as glass, the photosensitive layers have to beheated, together with an agent.
Instead of commonly used highly toxic substances, Townsend discovered that it can be donewith nontoxic salts.
Individual cells can be connected in series or parallel to build up either voltage or current.
Townsend hopes that someday, solar arrays may become much more affordable for individualusers.
“The goal of this is to be able to put this in the hands of an average, everyday person.
They have all the tools they need to build these devices in their home kitchen.”
He is also confident that further research will lead to the increased efficiency of paintable solarcells.
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