go to top scroll for more

Projects


Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/F062168/1
Title Increasing Photocurrents in Biosolar Cells using Microporous Electrodes - A Feasibility Study
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (Biological Sciences) 10%;
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 90%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr PJ Holliman
No email address given
Chemistry
Bangor University
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 April 2008
End Date 31 March 2009
Duration 12 months
Total Grant Value £110,020
Industrial Sectors Electronics; Energy
Region Wales
Programme Energy Multidisciplinary Applications, Energy Research Capacity
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr PJ Holliman , Chemistry, Bangor University (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Dr LM Murphy , Chemistry, Bangor University (0.001%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Solar energy (or photovoltaic energy) offers a technology for large scale energy generation which avoids the pitfalls of existing fossil fuel methods where coal, oil or gas which, when burnt, generate huge amounts of carbon dioxide which causes climate change along with other undesirable waste products (e.g. sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain).Solar energy can be captured in a number of ways (e.g. using crystalline or amorphous silicon or gallium arsenide solar cells). These solar cells canbe fabricated to be very efficient (for instance for use in space applications). However, their major drawback is that they are expensive both in monetary terms and in terms of the energy used to produce them. This leads to longer "pay-back" times for this type of technology.Nature has developed its own form of solar cells in the form of photosynthesis which is sufficiently effective to support the entire plant-based biosphere of the planet. Photosynthesis operates by light being absorbed to create an electrical potential difference when water is split into oxygen, protons and electrons. This takes place in the chloroplast of cells which are held in plant leaves. Within these chloroplasts, lie thylakoid membranes and these membranes are where photosynthesis takes place.In this proposal, we will test the feasibility of extracting photosynthetic thylakoid membranes, attaching them to optimized gold-coated electrodes and using the resulting solar cells as low cost solar energy harvesters. It is known that such solar cells are capable of generating very small photocurrents. Thus, the principal aim of this proposal is to increase these photocurrents (by optimizing electrode design and thylakoid production) so that the technology can become a viable commercial technology
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 19/02/08