By adding a geniticaly modified version of the m13 virus to dye-sensitized solar cells to wrangle, position and coat carbon nanotubes in titanium dioxide. This will keep the tubes aligned and seperated for a boost in efficiency around 8-10.6% even though the virus' will be less than 0.1% of the weight of the finished cell.
The virus' grab the nanotubes with thier peptides and can hold abotu 10 nanotubes with 300 pertides per virus.“It is likely that the virus template assembly has enabled the researchers to establish a better contact between the TiO2 nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes. Such close contact with TiO2 nanoparticles is essential to drive away the photo-generated electrons quickly and transport it efficiently to the collecting electrode surface.”
The virus' also alow the process to be carried out in a water medium at room temprature. Since the virus' can be implemented in one simple step axisting amnufacturing should be able to easily adapt to the new process, keeping prices low.
Neat stuff again, more nanotubes, more soloar cells... good stuff.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/solar-virus-0425.html
Sweet stuff. Any idea what the production cost is compared to conventional solar cells?
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