Diatom shells for efficiency increase of solar panels and cells

The project aims to develop solar cells and solar panels with higher efficiency through incorporation of a material that through evolution has created an optimal design for efficient trapping of visible light, but also manipulation/blocking of UV light. The material is the nanoporous silica shell surrounding diatoms. The material consists of layers of nanopores whose respective layer´s pores are interconnected in a funnel-like formation.

Initial lab tests have shown a significant increase of the efficiency of solar cells and solar panels through incorporating of silica shells from algae.

In simulations and lab tests, it has been shown that some diatom species shells can increase the efficiency of solar panels and solar cells more than other species. The goal of this project is to identify the optimal species of diatoms for as high of an efficiency increase as possible, that can also be cultivated in our industrial systems without them being outcompeted by other species.