Recently, a research led by Dr. Hendrik holscher of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany applied nanoporous structures on butterfly wings to thin-film solar cells, successfully increasing their absorbance to the original 200%.
The team studied the butterfly named Hong Zhu Pai, whose wings are dark black and can absorb sunlight perfectly. According to a paper published on ScienceAdvances, the researchers first determined the diameter and arrangement of the nanopores on butterfly wings by scanning electron microscopy. Then, computer simulations were conducted to analyze the absorbance of various apertures. It was found that, at different wavelengths and different angles of incident light, the irregular pores of the Papilio pulcherrima are more prominent than the periodically arranged single-nanopores. Stable absorbance.
As a result, the researchers mimicked this structure on the butterfly's wings, introducing irregularly positioned holes with diameters ranging from 133 nm to 343 nm in the silicon absorber layer of the thin-film solar cell. The absorbance was then analyzed: With a smooth surface In comparison, the absorption rate of the vertical incident light by the battery was increased by 97%, and continued to rise; when the incident angle was 50°, the absorbance reached 207%.
Although the results of the study are very satisfactory, Guillaume Gomard of the Institute of Microstructure and Technology of the Institute stated that: “200% is the theoretical limit of efficiency that can be increased, taking into account the influence of other factors. In fact, the efficiency of solar photovoltaic systems cannot improve so much. In addition, the researchers believe that the study has a certain promotional value, although they used hydrogenated amorphous silicon films in the experiment, but this nanostructure has an improvement effect on any type of thin film solar photovoltaic technology, and can be used to Industrial production.
