If solar cells must get efficient in their job, they must be able to do pretty much whatever the plants (or leaves) do in converting the same sunlight into energy.For instance, repair themselves from exposure to sun! MIT researchers believe they are in on the secret.
Takinhg a cue from the self-assembly of chloroplasts the MIT team devised a novel set of self-assembling molecules that use photons to shake electrons loose in the form of electricity.
The system contains seven different compounds, including carbon nanotubes that provide structure and a means to conduct the electricity away from the cells, synthetic phospholipids that form discs that also provide structural support, and other molecules that self-assemble into "reaction centers" that actually interact with the incoming photons to release electrons.
These compounds can assemble themselves into structures able to harvest solar energy at an efficiency of about 40%. As they loose efficiency from damage, a surfacant can be spread across them to break down the compounds, then when it is filtered out, the cells reassemble good as new.
Seems too good to be true?
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