Cheap Paint-able Solar Cells Developed

Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "Researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology have developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets. According to the lead researcher, "Someday homeowners will even be able to print sheets of these solar cells with inexpensive home-based inkjet printers. Consumers can then slap the finished product on a wall, roof or billboard to create their own power stations." The team combined carbon nanotubes with tiny carbon buckyballs (fullerenes) to form snake-like structures. Add sunlight to excite the polymers, and the buckyballs will grab the electrons. The article abstract is available through the Journal of Materials Chemistry, with an illustration of the technology."

Hey sounds great

[eclectro]

I knew that they would come up with cheap paintable solar cells. I'll pick them up in my flying car.

A useful technology

[Anonymous Coward]

Hopefully this will make our tanks, planes and kill-bots better by reducing the mass/volume required for energy storage, thus increasing the space available for bullets, nukes and sharp sticks.

Brinks truck pulls up to Staples ...

[drphil]

"Someday homeowners will even be able to print sheets of these solar cells with inexpensive home-based inkjet printers." ...
"The team combined carbon nanotubes with tiny carbon buckyballs (fullerenes) ..."

Whooboy! I wonder what that print cartridge is going to cost!

I'm going to hold out on commenting

[Frogbert]

I'm going to hold out on commenting until Unicorn confirms that the story is legit and that he isn't going to post a retraction.

Re:Brinks truck pulls up to Staples ...

[ChromeAeonium]

About twice as much as a printer with the cartridge.

Re:Interesting

[Xymor]

And then those danm hippies will say we're overusing the Sun's light.

I'm not a republican, I'm just joking.

Re:QUIT FUCKING TEASING ME!

[SkyFalling]

When they do, please make sure to post and complain about the Slashvertisement.

Re:Today's Snake Oil....

[SpaceballsTheUserNam]

Steel girders are overrated.

Re:Interesting

[Man On Pink Corner]

Well, yeah, you can't just go around changing the planet's albedo by spreading solar cells everywhere and expect to get away with it! What would Al Gore say?

Printers of the future can do everything!

[dan_barrett]

While this sounds cool, this seems to be yet another technology that we'll eventually be able to print with our inexpensive inkjet printers.

hopefully they'll release the "nanotube buckyball solar panel" cartridge to fit in the same printer as the OLED display cartridge... etc.

Can't wait to read some word documents written using solar panel nanotube ink, too.

Re:Today's Snake Oil....

[SnowZero]

...and should be replaced with struts made of carbon nanotubes.

Re:Hey sounds great

[Tablizer]

I knew that they would come up with cheap paintable solar cells. I'll pick them up in my flying car.

For the car?

"Cloud. Oh fuck!"

     

Re:Efficiency is Missing

[MillionthMonkey]

Yeah but you should see my Hummer H2!

Re:Brinks truck pulls up to Staples ...

[Adriax]

Though it'll still be cheaper than a color cartridge from HP.

Re:I for one..

[CmdrGravy]

In Soviet Russia retarded memes invoke you !

Strangely enough

[The_mad_linguist]

I painted my solar cells, and now they aren't working as well. I demand a refund.