Artificial leaves to make power

Any new technology always brings in fresh demand for metals or rare earth elements. Even solar technology with its reliance on silicon is not without its disadvantages. Perhaps when looking at alternatives, we also need to look at non-solid state technologies.

Like biologically inspired 'soft' devices for generating electricity! A team led by a North Carolina State University researcher has shown that water-gel-based solar devices -- "artificial leaves" -- can act like solar cells to produce electricity.

This can render the technology less expensive and more environmentally friendly than the current standard-bearer: silicon-based solar cells. The bendable devices are composed of water-based gel infused with light-sensitive molecules - the researchers used plant chlorophyll in one of the experiments - coupled with electrodes coated by carbon materials, such as carbon nanotubes or graphite.

The light-sensitive molecules get "excited" by the sun's rays to produce electricity, similar to plant molecules that get excited to synthesize sugars in order to grow.

Of course we cannot keep making leaves, hence why not look to how plants self-regenerate? And to look for something other than water-based gel and light-sensitive molecules to improve the efficiency of the solar cells.