Linkping University: How non-toxic and efficient solar cells can be produced
https://liu.se/en/news-item/sa-kan-giftfria-och-effektiva-solceller-tillverkas04 December 2024
Anders Törneholm
Large-scale production of organic solar cells with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact. This can now be made possible through a new design principle developed at Linköping University. In the study, published in the journal Nature Energy, the researchers have studied molecule shape and interaction in organic solar cells.
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Sustainable mass production
The efficiency of organic solar cells is catching up with traditional solar cells and they can convert about 20 percent of the sun’s rays into electricity. The high efficiency is the result of several years of intensive materials research and studies of the interaction between the molecules in the material, the so-called morphology.
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Morphology and performance
What the Linköping researchers have done is map the molecular interaction between the materials transporting the electrons and the solvent itself by using a series of advanced synchrotron X-ray and neutron techniques. Thanks to this, the researchers were then able to develop a design principle that works for many different harmless solvents. In the long run, they hope that even water can act as a solvent.
According to the researchers, understanding the link between morphology and performance in organic solar cells is a major challenge, as they need to investigate the ultra-fast movement of electrons (the charge transport) from the material that releases electrons to the receiving material. Those processes occur within nanoscale structures and at molecular interfaces. According to Feng Gao, the road to environmentally sustainable organic solar cells is now open.
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The plants of course are (as you pointed out) producing end products (sugars, oils, lignin) all of them coming from splitting H₂O and CO₂ and reassembling the freed atoms.
We are at last getting better at doing this. Hysata claims to be able to produce hydrogen through electrolysis at 95% efficiency! 
Last edited Wed Dec 4, 2024, 07:25 PM - Edit history (1)
I wrote a rather elaborate post on this subject referring to a decidedly not too bright antinuke carrying on about "strawmen."
Before referring to it, let me post another recent post of mine, being sure to expect criticism of my self absorption, which makes me question whether I should jump up and down for joy over the chanting of "renewables will save us" types:
The Disastrous 2024 CO2 Data Recorded at Mauna Loa: Yet Another Update 12/03/2024
Any interest?
No?
I thought so.
Would the planet be burning because of "straw?" Wait, couldn't straw be more of that magical so called "renewable energy?" Ya think?
From my perspective, this post of mine referring to the data at the Mauna Loa CO2 Observatory, which I have followed through decades of bullshit here about solar, wind, batteries and hydrogen that didn't do a damned thing, doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy for the trillions of dollars squandered on so called "renewable energy," and similiarly, the money squandered to satiate the idiotic contempt for the laws for thermodynamics represented by money squandered on energy storage and lacing wires all over the planet to connect all of this unreliable junk.
My post in response to a "strawmen" accusation, which I found amusing, predictably from someone who clearly can't think very well of a certain type one can see around here - a locution often raised by defenders of the indefensible - is here:
828 Underground Nuclear Tests, Plutonium Migration in Nevada, Dunning, Kruger, Strawmen, and Tunnels
Now, to be clear, I wrote in response to a "'I'm not an antinuke' antinuke" of my unfortunate acquaintance, and of course, addressing people at this level is clearly a waste of time - it's not like they can be educated - but I became fascinated by the topic, after a remark I made, clearly sarcastic, that little shit for brains antinukes are more worried about a radioactive atom tunneling into their tiresome and weak little brains than about, oh, I don't know - about the data, at Mauna Loa, for just one instance. My sarcastic remark about radioactive atoms in antinuke brains was generated by an asinine comment in one of my old posts, called up to let me know all about the collapse of a tunnel at the Hanford Nuclear Weapons Reservation. (I showed that the antinuclear radiation paranoia, as is the case with the big bogeyman at Fukushima, is likely to have killed more people - from air pollution - than the collapsed tunnel).
I'm rather glad I wrote that post addressing the air head, because the research into the primary scientific literature, which has over 200,000 papers on organic solar cells - aren't they wonderful? - caused me to consider the chemistry of plutonium, the element I believe might still save some of what is left to save, and the wonderful synthetic element technetium.
I learned a lot writing it.
I would suggest that someone who wants to learn new things should learn how to read, but, clearly many people don't bother. They'd rather demand worship of the "solar and wind will save us" cults, except solar and wind isn't saving a damned thing. It's soaking up money and making things worse, not better.
As for what credulous rubes care to "believe," I couldn't care less. I think I made it clear how I feel about soothsaying.
Not that I expect it to be read, no matter how many times I post it:
Prevented Mortality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Historical and Projected Nuclear Power (Pushker A. Kharecha* and James E. Hansen Environ. Sci. Technol., 2013, 47 (9), pp 4889–4895).
From the abstract:
The bold is mine.
Of course, one won't expect anyone carrying on for more than forty years about Three Mile Island to get it, would one?
These sorts clearly don't give a shit about carbon dioxide, or for that matter, human lives lost to air pollution.
I'm wishing you the happiest of the upcoming December holidays, even if they result, in the winter solstice during the Saturnalian festivals, in Dunkleflaute in that coal burning hellhole, Germany.
