Butterfly-wing Solar Cells

  Shanghai Jiao Tong University has begun research on a more efficient solar battery, based on the design of butterfly wings. The delicate design is expected to improve the conversion efficiency of sunlight to electricity.

  The research team found that the wings of frigid zone butterflies have a special micro-structure on their scales, which helps them absorb solar energy for maintaining body temperature. The scales have therefore been utilized by researchers as a model for the TiO2 light collector in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The butterfly-wing structure doubles the light collecting capability of common TiO2 film.