Scientists slurp conductive fluid for paintable solar panels Scientists at the University of Southern California have developed a conducting fluid that would allow tiny solar crystals, just four nanometers across, to be painted onto surfaces and conduct electricity. While energy generation from cadmium crystals is less effective than dedicated solar panels they do have the advantage of …
And this is going to go over very well with the various environmental protection entities and organizations, since cadmium is such a harmless element.
Oh wait, I forgot: cadmium isn't harmless at all (despite what some Chinese toy manufacturers think) - it is very carcinogenic, which was one reason behind NiCad batteries being largely removed from the market.
Indeed, it is very nasty stuff. Not only that it is comparatively rare (about 0.1 ppm of the earth's crust). I would be more impressed with some of these breakthroughs if they did not involve using elements that are likely to end up as another resource problem (as in lack of). I am no kind of bunny-hugging Luddite, I am in fact as keen on innovative tech as the next person but sometimes one has to wonder!
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