Subject: 80% SOLAR MATERIAL efficiency

From: [email-masked] (The rat)
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 1995 16:58:23

I just read a probably anciant discussion by a few scientest on a material 
called Lumeloid developped by Alvin M. Marks, Athol, MA. 

Mr. Marks claimed that his material was 80% effective at converting solar 
energy to electricity. Does anyone know what happened to this man and his 
machine?

Also, is there any connection between this material and the new material 
metioned in the Popular Science (Jan 1995) with an apparent 
efficiency of 70%?

Thanks for any info.

Pieter Claassen

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From: [email-masked] (Pieter Claassen)
Date: 8 May 1995 09:45:15 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] says...
>
>Please keep this photovoltaic crap OUT of alt.solar.thermal!
>
>Thank you...
>
>Nick

Nick, you shouldn't say thank you, because I think you must be stupid to cling to 
this thermal principle. 

You have cross posted this reply to all the groups that I have read so far. It is 
fine if you think that solar.thermal is the solution (especially since you are 
probably selling it), but most appliances today run on electricity and not water.

If you want to contribute to the standard energy consumption world, create ways to 
supply electricity (like PV) and not hot water.

You comment is also rude and untactfull. There are kids on this group you wish.

Pieter

....Disclaimer.

These views are those of the writer and the Anderson Phsyciatric Ward cannot accept 
responsability for them.

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From: [email-masked] (Sam Churchill)
Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 16:53:14 -0700

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] wrote:

> Actually, since my site doesn't subscribe to alt.solar.thermal
> I've been enjoying the thread.  Relax...don't do it!

Ha, ha. You must have a lot of free time at Ford, Bryan.

The original poster must have said something about 80% efficiency. If you
can believe that. I'm a skeptic. Wish someone could actually address the
topic! Is this is really on the horizon and practical? Maybe if you add a
large fresnel lens and use VERY exotic methods. Or some-such.

Maybe Nick can add something here.
-- 
Sam Churchill
Portland OR

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From: [email-masked] (George Weinert)
Date: 11 May 1995 16:10:03 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
   [email-masked] (Sam Churchill) wrote:
[snip]
>Maybe Nick can add something here.

I posted a reply to this thread earlier, in answer to the original (I think..)
post.  The jist of it was that I had read about this material a while back in
'Solar Today' (May/June '93 -- Published by the American Solar Energy
Society).  The article was by Jonathan Haber entitled 'A New Solar Electric 
Invention'.  The material being *proposed* consisted of dye molecules which 
acted as DIAD's (Donor-Insulator-Acceptor-Devices), which are molecular diodes 
when stimulated by light.  Apparently, DIADs are used in the early stages of 
photosynthesis to create an electrical potential.  The general idea was to 
take these dye molecules, attach them to long chain conductive polymers, and 
then stretch orient the material (just like the manufacture of poloroid film, 
which is probably why the inventor referred to it as 'Lumeloid').  To quote 
the article:

	When two polarized films are positioned with their stretch axes
	perpendicular, light is almost completely absorbed.  Ordered diads
	in Lumeloid enable the conversion of light to electric power at
	83 percent *theoretical* efficiency. (emphasis added)

About the efficiciency of semiconductor PV, the article goes on to say:

	A conventional solar cell generates electricity using layers of
	semiconductor material on a silicon chip, which absorbs energy
	from light photons and frees an electronfrom an atom in the structure.
	The conversion of light to electric power takes place in the direction
	of the sun's rays.  This results in limited effiencies because the
	electric field of a photon is directed at a right angle to the light
	ray.  Energetic electrons in a conventional photovoltaic cell must be 
	turned around by numerous impacts with the semi-conductor structure,
	resulting in considerable energy loss as heat.

I think this thread got started when somebody saw an blurb in the 'What's New' 
section of _Popular Science_ which talked about development efforts underway 
with Argonne National Lab.  It looked just like a press release on the ANL Web 
server (http://www.anl.gov) the actual URL of the press release itself is:

	http://www.anl.gov/OPA/news940801.html

Check it out, it's kinda' interesting.  BTW, I have NO financial interest in 
this development (except as a potential consumer :).  I would also reccomend 
trying to find the aforementioned article in _Solar Today_.  Obviously, I have 
been following these developments with some interest.  Does anybody out there 
have any more info on this?

G.W.

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From: [email-masked] (Bryan Miller)
Date: 11 May 1995 16:17:24 GMT

>Ha, ha. You must have a lot of free time at Ford, Bryan.
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Was it something I said? ;-)  Actually it's called lunch...

>can believe that. I'm a skeptic. Wish someone could actually address the
                         ^^^^^^^
>large fresnel lens and use VERY exotic methods. Or some-such.

Like I said, I've been enjoying the thread.  I too am a skeptic.
Perhaps I've had too much education and it's numbed my senses...

cheers,
Bryan
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"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein