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By harnessing the shells of living organisms in the sea–microscopic algae called diatoms–engineers have tripled the efficiency of experimental dye-sensitized solar cells. The diatoms were fed a diet of titanium dioxide–the main ingredient for thin film solar cells–instead of their usual meal which is silica (silicon dioxide). As a result, their shells became photovoltaic when coated with dyes. The resulting dye sensitize solar cells were three times more efficient than those without the diatoms.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216500176