Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and other institutions have created graphene-polymer solar cells that can be manufactured using solution processing. Polymer based solar cells are thought to be cheaper than silicon based ones, but less efficient. Using carbon nanotubes can increase the efficiency by increasing the surface/interface area and charge separation and transport.
The researchers say that Graphene has the highest room-temperature mobility for electron and hole transport among all known carbon nanomaterials and its one-atom thick. A 2-D carbon network provides a much higher specific surface area (hence, a larger interface in a polymer matrix) than carbon nanotubes
Source:
Posted: Sep 24,2010 by Ron Mertens