0.57% efficient + URL to get free copy of paper (Score 1)

People say they can't find the paper nor the efficiency values of this solar cell. One of the researchers posted it on the Rutgers University website: http://nanotubes.rutgers.edu/PDFs/C60%20+%20SWNT%2 0Complex%20OPVs.pdf

Notice the energy conversion efficiency is 0.57% and the fabrication process is quite sophisticated, requirng exotic Fullerene chemicals and other sonatic lab gear.

Compare that to a classic Dye-sensitized cell one can make at home with titanium dioxide and rasberry juice... but delivers 0.45% energy efficiency.

The DIY solar cell recipe below achieves nano-level self-assembly with TiO2 instead of bucky balls and outputs 0.43 V and 1 mA/cm2. Titanium Dioxide is very inexpensive because it's most common ingredient used in white pigment. http://www.solideas.com/solrcell/english.html

How useful is this much power? Consider that a cheap Nokia phone requires 3.7 volts at 140, which equates to 0.518 watts of power needed to charge it. That means one of the cells above,no larger than a square foot, could do the job... on a sunny day. http://www.knowprose.com/node/8906

Interesting note that a 14 year old girl won a Discovery Channel Science Award testing one of these home-made TiO2 cells. http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/dys c/finalists/profiles/kumar_asmita.html