Future moon bases could run on solar collectors that were made of melted moon dust and transform the surface of the moon into an energy source. Many thanks to a new research breakthrough.
Scientists from the University of Potsdam have developed so -called “Moonglass” solar cells, which were produced by melting artificial moon dust or “regolith”, and then combine with a layer of perovsky crystal to create a functioning solar panel.
The device could be easier, cheaper and radiation -finished than the panels already used in space, according to the researchers. Their results were published in the journal Device this week.
Today, solar modules compete, room stations as well as Mars and MondroVo. All of these arrays are currently built on earth and started in space. But when mankind urges a permanent moon presence, the need for a solar power will drive up – as well as the costs to get plates there.
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Felix Lang, the main author of the paper, said that the silicon-based solar cells used in space are “surprising”-and the efficiency of 30% to 40% are expensive. They are also difficult because they use glass or a thick film as a cover. “It is difficult to justify to raise all of these cells into space,” he said.
The use of the moon's own regolith could be a player. By producing moon glass directly on the moon surface and combining it with a thin layer of perovskit crystals that were brought out of the earth, the researchers found that they could reduce the start mass by 99%.
Building solar collectors on the moon
The impression of an artist of future solar cell production on the moon. Credit: Sercan Özen
As soon as the materials are collected, according to the researchers, it would have to be transformed into solar collectors on the moon, as they can be produced with a raw regolith that does not have to be processed. The team says that they have already achieved promising results by using a large curved mirror and sunlight to focus a beam that is hot enough to melt regolith in moon glass.
Since moon glass is made from raw regolith, it is milky-white instead of transparent, which limits its light-harvesting potential. The best prototypes of the Potsdam team achieved an efficiency of around 12% – about half of the conventional perov science cells. However, simulations indicate that they could finally agree with the efficiency of conventional perov cheating.
Nicholas Bennett from the University of Technology Sydney told New scientist that this is the first successful use of moon glass in a functioning solar cell. The real challenge, he says, is to produce large amounts of things outside the laboratory.
Moonglass panels are the latest in a number of high-tech bids to put the basics of a permanent human presence on the moon. Other planned projects are used to use moon dust 3D printing a moon baseBuilding Oxygen extraction systems From Regolith and even buildings Room mirror This melts the ice of the moon in drinking water.
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