Chinese researchers introduce Graphene based all-weather solar cell

Chinese researchers have developed Graphene based all-weather solar cell that can generate electricity even during rains.

The new approach for making an all-weather solar cell by using the ‘wonder material’ graphene was developed by the team of researchers from the Ocean University of China and Yunnan Normal University.

Key Points

The new all-weather solar cell is made up of highly efficient dye-sensitised solar cell coated with a very thin film of graphene.

Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) form of carbon in which the atoms are bonded into a honeycomb arrangement.

Chinese researchers had used the phenomenon of graphene’s behavioural changes in aqueous solution.

In aqueous solution graphene can bind positively charged ions with its electrons.

Researchers used this to obtain power from the impact of raindrops on graphene electrodes.

At the point of contact between the grapheme and raindrop, water becomes enriched in positive ions and the graphene becomes enriched in delocalised electrons.

It results in a feature known as a pseudocapacitor i.e. double-layer made of electrons and positively charged ions.

It also results in generating difference in potential associated, i.e. a phenomenon is sufficient to produce a voltage and current.

Current Affairs 8th April, 2016
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