Honeycomb conductors

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory have fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material, described in the journal Chemistry of Materials, could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy.

This means less material used and increased efficiency.

Under carefully controlled conditions, the material self-assembles to form a reproducible pattern of micron-size hexagon-shaped cells over a relatively large area (up to several millimeters.

Such honeycomb-patterned thin films have previously been made using conventional polymers like polystyrene, but this is the first report of such a material that blends semiconductors and fullerenes to absorb light and efficiently generate charge and charge separation.

The material remains largely transparent (hence does not render the window dark) because the polymer chains pack densely only at the edges of the hexagons, while remaining loosely packed and spread very thin across the centers. The densely packed edges strongly absorb light and may also facilitate conducting electricity,while the centers do not absorb much light and are relatively transparent.

Well, fabrication as solar panels is the next step. Materials research and design is one area to watch out, and not only in the solar arena.