Happy Atheist Forum

General => Science => Topic started by: Tank on September 24, 2010, 07:32:30 PM

Title: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Tank on September 24, 2010, 07:32:30 PM
Mimicking Nature, Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100924121218.htm)

QuoteScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2010) â€" A team led by a North Carolina State University researcher has shown that water-gel-based solar devices -- "artificial leaves" -- can act like solar cells to produce electricity. The findings prove the concept for making solar cells that more closely mimic nature. They also have the potential to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than the current standard-bearer: silicon-based solar cells...

Given the waste products related to the production of conventional silicon solar cells this could be a very important breakthrough.
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Will on September 25, 2010, 05:17:21 AM
That's incredible. I might have to be an early adopter on this one.
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Thumpalumpacus on September 25, 2010, 06:41:23 AM
Muy cool. Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Dretlin on September 25, 2010, 01:57:02 PM
"Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity"

That is a very odd sentence. Interesting article!
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Prometheus on October 11, 2010, 06:28:26 AM
This is awsome. I was trying to get a Biochemist buddy of mine to start working with me on a patent for something very similar to this two years ago. He thought i was nuts lol. I posted the link to him. We didn't have the time or resources honestly but i would love to try working on stuff like this as a hobby one day. even if you fail you still had a little fun.
Title: Efficient, Inexpensive Plastic Solar Cells Coming Soon
Post by: Tank on October 11, 2010, 08:08:17 PM
Efficient, Inexpensive Plastic Solar Cells Coming Soon (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101010133628.htm)

QuoteScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2010) â€" Physicists at Rutgers University have discovered new properties in a material that could result in efficient and inexpensive plastic solar cells for pollution-free electricity production...

Added due to comparable subject matter.
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: DropLogic on October 11, 2010, 08:39:37 PM
We need what Doc Brown had in Back to the Future 2.  The garbage converter.  We need someway to use all this garbage we've amassed.  Could get energy for YEARS from the material stuck in the North Pacific Gyre.
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Thumpalumpacus on October 11, 2010, 09:13:15 PM
Quote from: "DropLogic"We need what Doc Brown had in Back to the Future 2.  The garbage converter.  We need someway to use all this garbage we've amassed.  Could get energy for YEARS from the material stuck in the North Pacific Gyre.

There's already an established method: incinerators.

Also, another way is to recover and use the methane produced by landfills.
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: Asmodean on October 11, 2010, 09:16:48 PM
Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"
Quote from: "DropLogic"We need what Doc Brown had in Back to the Future 2.  The garbage converter.  We need someway to use all this garbage we've amassed.  Could get energy for YEARS from the material stuck in the North Pacific Gyre.

There's already an established method: incinerators.

Also, another way is to recover and use the methane produced by landfills.
Change one pollution to another meanwhile making them megawatts. I love technology  :pop:
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: DropLogic on October 11, 2010, 09:25:29 PM
Quote from: "Asmodean"
Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"
Quote from: "DropLogic"We need what Doc Brown had in Back to the Future 2.  The garbage converter.  We need someway to use all this garbage we've amassed.  Could get energy for YEARS from the material stuck in the North Pacific Gyre.

There's already an established method: incinerators.

Also, another way is to recover and use the methane produced by landfills.
Change one pollution to another meanwhile making them megawatts. I love technology  :pop:
Well...you could technically run the exhaust through water to diffuse it even further...but you still end up with toxic water that needs to go somewhere.  We're pretty stuck with all this solid waste we've created.  I think we should load it onto a rocket and fire it into the sun....
Title: Re: Water-Based 'Artificial Leaf' Produces Electricity
Post by: PoopShoot on October 11, 2010, 09:33:15 PM
Incinerators have afterburners that burn the exhaust waste hot enough to break it down into base elements.