According to a report from the Physicist Organization Network on January 20 (Beijing time), researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an innovative solar thermal photovoltaic (STPV) system. This technology captures heat generated by high-temperature materials and converts it into electricity using photovoltaic cells. The system not only enhances the utilization of sunlight but also simplifies the storage of solar energy, making it a promising advancement in renewable energy.
The study, published this week in *Nature Nanotechnology*, was led by Evrin Wang, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. He explained that traditional silicon-based solar cells are limited because they cannot efficiently convert all photons into electricity. Silicon’s bandgap matches certain wavelengths of light, but many photons fall outside this range, leading to wasted energy.
To overcome this challenge, the team introduced a two-layer absorption-release device between the sunlight and the photovoltaic cells. This device combines carbon nanotubes and photonic crystals. The outer layer, made of multi-wall carbon nanotubes, absorbs sunlight and converts it into heat. When this heat is transferred to the photonic crystal, it emits light that closely matches the bandgap of the photovoltaic cell, maximizing energy conversion efficiency.
While conventional silicon solar cells are capped at around 33.7% efficiency due to the Shockley-Queisser limit, STPV systems have the potential to exceed 80% under ideal conditions. However, earlier versions of STPV devices struggled with low efficiency, often below 1%. The latest prototype achieved 3.2%, and the research team believes that with further development, efficiency could reach 20%, paving the way for commercial viability.
Another key factor in the system’s performance is the size of the absorption-release device. Since it operates at high temperatures, larger components tend to lose heat more quickly. The experiments were conducted on both 1 cm and 10 cm chips, showing how scaling up affects thermal efficiency.
This breakthrough represents a major step forward in solar energy technology, offering a more efficient and practical approach to harnessing and storing solar power.
Industrial aluminum profiles are based on aluminum, adding an appropriate amount of silicon, copper, magnesium, zinc and other alloying elements, through a series of production processes such as high-temperature melting casting and extrusion. Aluminum itself is relatively light, the density is only about one-third of steel, so industrial aluminum profiles with its unique performance advantages and wide applicability, support the efficient operation of many industries, flourish, become a modern industrial manufacturing system in the weight of the basic material. It has the advantages of high strength, corrosion resistance, easy processing and forming, environmental protection and energy saving. Industrial aluminum profiles are widely used in the construction industry, machinery and equipment, automobile manufacturing, aerospace, and electronic products. In summary, I have reason to believe that industrial aluminum profiles will show greater potential and value in a wider range of fields!
Industrial Aluminium Profiles,Aluminum Heat Sink Profile,Mobie Phone Base Aluminum Profile,Electrical Aluminum Extrusion Profile
Guangdong Jihua Aluminium Co., LTD , https://www.jihua-alu.com