Dendrimers in solar panels

2002/04/15 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Energia berriztagarriak

Inorganic semiconductor solar panels have so far been used to transform sunlight into electricity. However, in 1991, the so-called Grätzel cells emerged at the Lausanne Institute of Technology. Rodamine tincers are used in these cells to absorb sunlight. With light, the dye electrons are excited and jumped to the titanium dioxide particles. From here it is transported to an electrode and electricity is generated. Unfortunately, cells only convert 6% of sunlight into electricity.

Now, in trials with polymers called dendrimers, the effectiveness of the panels is doubled.

They are special polymers that tend to branch out as dendrimers grow. They have a spherical shape and, when reaching a relatively large surface, it has been observed that they can be the binding point of molecules that absorb light. After the union of the dyes to the polymer, mixed with the components of the Grätzel cell, the aforementioned spectacular results have been obtained.

The negative difference of these polymers lies in their long and complex synthesis process. This makes them very expensive and uncommercial. In any case, it has been said that they will continue to experiment and that in the future it is possible that with cheaper polymers the same effect will occur.