Device that receives and even stores solar energy.

2004/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Teknologia

At the Toin University in Japan, a photovoltaic cell has been designed that, in addition to transforming solar energy into electricity, also stores it. The electricity generated in conventional photovoltaic cells requires an additional apparatus, usually a battery. But the cell invented by the Japanese needs no battery.

The key is in the structure of the cell, formed by two electrodes, one of titanium oxide and another of platinum, covered by a porous layer of activated carbon, all of them in an ionic solution, forming a capacitor.

This photovoltaic cell has a light collection area of 0.64 cm2 and, according to its authors, is very suitable for insertion into mobile phones.