The heterostructures is based on 2D atomic crystals for photovoltaic applications.
Image: University of Manchester
Researchers from the University of Manchester in conjunction with the National University of Singapore have discovered an exciting new development with the wonder material graphene.
The researchers have been able to combine graphene with other one-atom thick materials to create the next generation of solar cells and optoelectronic devices.
With this, they have been able to demonstrate how multi-layered heterostructures in a three-dimensional stack can produce an exciting physical phenomenon exploring new electronic devices.
This from University of Manchester:
The breakthrough, published in Science, could lead to electric energy that runs entire buildings generated by sunlight absorbed by its exposed walls; the energy can be used at will to change the transparency and reflectivity of fixtures and windows depending on environmental conditions, such as temperature and brightness.
By isolating graphene, University of Manchester Nobel Laureates Professor Andre Geim and Professor Kostya Novoselov have discovered a whole new family of one-atom-thick materials.
By combining these new materials, it allows researchers to achieve functionality not available for any of the individual materials.
This from University of Manchester:
The Manchester and Singapore researchers expanded the functionality of these heterostructures to optoelectronics and photonics. By combining graphene with monolayers of transitions metal dichalcogenides (TMDC), the researchers were able to create extremely sensitive and efficient photovoltaic devices. Such devices could potentially be used as ultrasensitive photodetectors or very efficient solar cells.
The wonder material known as graphene is making a splash in various fields of science, including electrochemistry. Check out what our electrochemists are doing with graphene and keep up to date with all the latest research in our Digital Library.
