Paint on SOlar Cells with Nanoparticle Quantum Dots

[SEGsby]

Paint-On Solar Cells Developed

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...cience+News%29

[NeilBlanchard]

Thanks -- I saw this but didn't read it closely.

[smilingcat]

The "stuff" is worse than lead based paint. Cadmium is banned under RoHS directive. Cadmium Telluride was exempted from this directive. Other banned material are Lead, Mercury, Chromium...

Cadmium is extremely toxic first of all. Secondly, there are serious health concerns regarding nano particles. Medical research into nano particles have found that nano particles do cross brain blood vessel barrier and it does not cause the immune system to react. Particles are too small to be recognized by the human cells.

Both are very bad in terms of human health.

And at 1% conversion efficiency, its really poor. more so than even thin film solar cells.
Thin film solar cells not using silicon are Zinc oxide, Cadmiun sulfide, Cadmium selenide, Cadmium telluride. Some are even trying Titanium oxide which is main colorant of white paint. These are thought to have more potential as the processing temperature required is much lower than silicon.

They would be better off to form the thin-film solar cell directly onto the body of the vehicle rather than painting it. It can be done cheaply, some caveat included.

BAD BAD IDEA with Cadmium based paint!!

[randyd]

Say, "AMEN" to the voice of reason...

I can't believe anyone (with a brain) would think that a paint with cadmium would EVER be a good idea.