Developmental scientists at the Michigan State University have been working on concepts that will eventouly allow us to charge our smartphones and other devices with the sun’s energy. While smartphones are increasingly playing a larger part in our daily activities, the batteries just aren’t keeping up. While battery life extension devices such as the Mophie exist, you still have a large demand for a technology that removes the need for such extra devices as well as charging your phone multiple times daily.
When this technology named luminescent solar collecting materials or LSC has proven itsself in the lab, we will quickly see the removal of charging ports from our devices. These researchers at Michigan State are close to having a fully working prototype of transparent solar power collector. They have very high hopes that their work will highly influence the future of portable smart devices.
As cost for production is a key factor in new technology to be widely used this team has keep that in mind. It is composed of a cost effective thin sheet that absorbs light and transforms it into usable energy. Richard Lunt stated that they are developing on transparent LSC’s conversion efficiency. The hope is that it will hit a ratio wanted for industrial purposes.
Here’s how Luminescent Solar Collecting Works
In the past there has been many research and development around solar energy. This unlike the others have composed a fully transparent film which makes it much more appealing for the applicant. This was achieved by using organic molecules to produce the material. These produced materials absorb in the ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths. It is the use of ultraviolet and near-infrared light, which are invisible to the human eye, that gives the concentrator its transparent qualities.
At a later state it is transferred to the outer edges of the material. The light then touches strips of photovoltaic cells that produce electricity. “The aesthetic quality of this approach is exceptionally high, which is key to many applications”, affirmed Lunt.
While this technology is in its infancy you can start to see where the future it heading.