Solar energy converters

Possible approaches to the development of photo-catalytic solar energy converters. K. I. Zamaraev and V. N. Parmon, Russ. Chem. Rev. (Engt. Transl.), 1980, 49, 695-717 (408). 

Artifical Solar Energy Converters Designed to Mimic Photosynthesis... 

Much has been written about artifical solar-energy converters - the reader is referred to references 10, 12, 14-17 for detailed treatments. Here I shall deal exclusively with those artificial systems designed to mimic various aspects of the photosynthesis reaction. 

Cyanobacteria are ideal solar energy converters because they require only the sun, mineral nutrients, and water for Ho production. Their waste bodies can feed fishes [4]. 

Systematic research of two-quantum excitation of tetrapyrrolic pigments (2,3) has made it evident that cooperative triplet-triplet excitation of metalloporphyrin upper electronic states successfully competes with the processes of stepwise two-quantum excitation. This made us pay greater attention to porphyrin TTA since high quantum yields of intersystem crossing to triplet Tj states is characteristic of these types of compounds. (It should be mentioned that interest in photoprocesses in excited states of tetrapyrrolic pigments has been greatly increased by development of solar energy converters based on metalloporphyrins (4,5)). 

These properties of the semiconductor photoelectrode render photo-electrochemical cells useful as solar energy converters. 

Archer MD, Bolton JR (1990) Requirements for ideal performance of photochemical and photovoltaic solar energy converters. J Phys Chem 94 8028-8036... 

Monocyclic oxazines and thiazines also function as bases and as very useful synthetic intermediates, particularly for the construction of carbonyl derivatives and as starting points for many complex heterocyclic systems. These properties are illustrated in earlier parts of this chapter. Finally, at a time when man has become acutely aware of the diminution of fossil fuel reserves, phenothiazines have been shown to be potentially valuable in solar energy converters (79MI22701). 

Two conclusions concerning future application of layered compounds in solar energy converting devices can be derived from the present investigation ... 

Aerobic photosynthesis is carried out by cyanobacteria, green algae, and higher plants, and is the fundamental biological process by which solar energy converts atmospheric C02 and water into biomass and the molecular oxygen that is essential for all human and animal life on the Earth. 

Nugent, J.H.A. and Evans, M.C.S. 2004. Structure of biological solar energy converters -further revelations. Trends Plant Sci. 9, 368-370. 

Ross R. T. and Colhns J. M. (1980), Efficiency of quantum-utilizing solar energy converters in the presence of recombination losses , J. Appl. Phys. 51,4504-4507. 

Ross R. T. and Nozik A. J. (1982), Efficiency of hot-carrier solar-energy converters ,... 

As Table 12.1 shows, a wide range of scientific information is made accessible, which has attracted the attention of gronps interested in solid-state and solid-liquid solar energy-converting junctions. 

Radiometers are devices based on various types of photocells that generate a current when photons fall upon them. The bimetallic photovoltaic cell, the basic component of solar energy converters, is the first and simplest example, but these have been replaced by photodiodes in recent times. The photomultiplier tube can also be used,... 

The overall eSiciency is then 5.5 % (6.6%). In practice, the efficiency is lower even very productive tropical grasses such as sugar cane do not yield crops at efficiencies of more then 0.6% on an annual basis [224]. The water hyacinth, which is considered to be one of the most efficient solar energy converters, reaches... 

J. J. Loferski, Recent research on photovoltaic solar energy converters, Proc. IEEE 51 (1963) 667-674. 

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