Amid all the attention on increasing solar cell diversity, there's now focus on increasing solar cell durability. One method is through a special coating, one that turns UV photons into visible light with longer wavelengths. This coating has two-fold benefits, increasing both efficiency and longevity. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles say the coating could add years to cells' lifespans. This boost is important to solar cells, which decrease in efficiency with prolonged exposure to UV light.
A range of materials could be used in the coating, referred to as photon conversion material (PCM). These include polyflourene, liquids, solids, gels, and nanoparticles.
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