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Author Topic: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell  (Read 69935 times)

onthecuttingedge2005

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #30 on: November 04, 2009, 08:23:03 PM »
something like this.

triffid

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #31 on: November 09, 2009, 08:17:01 AM »
Of course,chlorophyll would degrade if exposed to too high a heat or maybe even too much light?Perhaps an inorganic dye would be better but not as cheap as chlorophyll would be since you can get it from plants.triffid

the_big_m_in_ok

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #32 on: November 10, 2009, 01:15:41 AM »
Of course,chlorophyll would degrade if exposed to too high a heat or maybe even too much light?Perhaps an inorganic dye would be better but not as cheap as chlorophyll would be since you can get it from plants.triffid
@triffid
That thought had crossed my mind as well.  But wouldn't dye suffer from the same effects as the chlorophyll?

Here's an idea:
Shine a light on lots(large amounts arranged in sheets) of photochemically active compounds and wire the substrate to collect electricity.  There's already a patent for such a process, but I don't know the number.   ::)   >:(

--Lee

triffid

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #33 on: November 13, 2009, 05:13:07 PM »
I think its possible an inorganic dye would not be as prone to degradation as an organic dye but of course it depends of the inorganic dye (and I have done no research on it) so I am just thinking out loud here.I figure one could add as much dye to the cell as they want.So maybe more dye = more power output?I hope thats the case with Chlorophyll(remember my it's only 2% efficient post?).Triffid

onthecuttingedge2005

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #34 on: November 13, 2009, 06:52:08 PM »
these are the kind of dyes that would benefit solar cell technology.

sm0ky2

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #35 on: November 14, 2009, 05:39:14 AM »
"chlorophyll" as is used in plants, is essentially a pentagon of oxygen atoms, with 4 hydrogen atoms stuffed into the corners, forming a ring with a single magnesium atom in the very center.
around this is a shell of hydrogen, surrounded by a shell of carbon.
forming the center of the chloroplast.

from here there is a chain of hydroxic acids that transmit electricity from the chloroplast to the circuit-center of that portion of the leaf. where the electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

a single photon enters into the ring, passes through the ionized magnesium, and increases its energy level which triggers it to gain an electron (from the electrolysis), then immediately decays back to its normal level and releases said electron into the electrical circuit, to further the electrolysis process and gives the plant lots of carbon and hydrogen, with-which to grow.

if you separate these chloroplasts ( through a sort of extract), prepare them into a mixture, and some of them randomly wind up facing in the right direction when applied to the cell.....

provided you are able to substantiate a proper contact to one side of the chloroplasts, and that your extraction process did not destroy the cells....

it sounds pheasable....

if anyone figures out a way to successfully extract chlorophyll without destroying it, i'll replicate some test cells here.

jadaro2600

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #36 on: November 14, 2009, 01:32:55 PM »
as i understand it, dyes are rather bulky molecules ...perhaps an inkjet printer could be utilized to perform as a printing mechanism?

jeanna

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #37 on: November 16, 2009, 07:54:11 PM »
@sm0key2,
That is a very good description.
I think the quick test on any destruction of the chlorophyll is the brown that you find on grass stains. It is the giveaway that the chloroplasts have broken up.
Also, be careful NOT to freeze it during your work to extract the chloroplasts in tact.

My bet is that the chlorophyll that survives the drying and epoxy is going to remain photosensitive.

Most natural dyes  (mostly being flavonoids) lose their color upon exposure to light.
This means yes they are active, but the electrons are not being replenished.
 So, these could stop working.
I therefore think the chlorophyll is the best bet for a single compound.

Otherwise you will need to make a 2 part compound like the efforts in the other diy cheap solar thread.

It is too rainy and too cold for me to try this, maybe we have some folks down under who can try it?

jeanna

Cherryman

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #38 on: November 16, 2009, 08:05:05 PM »
I Suggest looking at nature for choosing the plant to extract from.

For example:

Grass: Never gets real direct sunlight on the leaves.. Always "dimmed" due to neighbours and standing upright postion. So I guess this will decade quick in direct full sunlight.

Cactus: Can stand in sun all day, so better resistant Chlorophyll

Vern: Grows in shadows.. So light absorbing factor is much higher

Waterlily: Used to fluidsubmerging

Etc   etc

Maybe a mix or a few tests will provide a more sustaining chlorophyll

Out of the box: Anyone ever considered keeping the leaf alive? 





triffid

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #39 on: November 18, 2009, 04:33:14 AM »
I think keeping the leaf alive would not be practical but you could stick the leaf in sugar water.It would live a little longer.Cactus has a real tough waxy skin but there are two general types of chlorophyll(A and B).Both are green as far as I know.Plants have skins too.Ranging from thin to thick.triffid

McGiver30

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #40 on: November 18, 2009, 06:52:53 AM »
Has anyone actually replicated this leaf solar capacitor/cell? are we past that and working on improving?

infringer

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #41 on: January 31, 2010, 11:25:17 PM »
I have some iodine to do some testing with...

But ... I am afraid I do not have any carbon fiber...

Pretty radical idea though I would prefer a way to grind the carbon fiber into a powder maybe it would give a nanotube like increase in power...

I just wonder how factual these claims are or if they require other elements not yet mentioned.

http://www.jumbomarketplace.com/laser--photo-blue-p-18058.html

Would laser ink be of use in this project for laser printers???

I guess I look for laser dyes for dye lasers and everyone expects you to fill out some damn form not exactly my cup of tea an easy paypal payment would be nice but if the cell is more expensive then 1.00 per watt it is not worth it to me I will simply buy cells and make my own panels!!!

aarnold

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #42 on: August 19, 2010, 07:18:00 PM »
So anyone tried it? Or just expectations?
Maybe I will but I would like to hear someone who tried it.

Mark69

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Re: Artificial Leaf DIY selfmade very cheap solar cell
« Reply #43 on: August 22, 2010, 04:28:29 AM »
Just watching...