A New Solar Panel Shield Made From Onion Peels Outlasted Industry Plastics in Tests
Natural dye from discarded onion peels outperforms fossil-based UV filters in durability and performance
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/a-new-solar-panel-shield-made-from-onion-peels-outlasted-industry-plastics-in-tests/
Their breakthrough came when they dyed these films using an extract from red onion skins, a common kitchen waste. The result was a filter that blocked 99.9% of UV radiation up to 400 nanometers, a feat that outstripped even the PET-based commercial filters chosen for comparison… [T]he onion-treated filter excelled: it let through over 80% of light in the 650-1,100 nm range — an ideal sweet spot for energy absorption… Even predictive modeling based on early degradation trends suggested the CNF-ROE filter could extend a solar cell’s lifetime to roughly 8,500 hours. The PET-based filter? Just 1,500 hours… [T]he red onion extract offered a rare combination of longevity, transparency, and sustainability…
1,500 ~= year
Kermode
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2025-09-22 02:28:20 UTC
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2025-09-22 02:28:20 UTCEvent JSON
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"content": "A New Solar Panel Shield Made From Onion Peels Outlasted Industry Plastics in Tests\n\nNatural dye from discarded onion peels outperforms fossil-based UV filters in durability and performance\nhttps://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/a-new-solar-panel-shield-made-from-onion-peels-outlasted-industry-plastics-in-tests/\n\nTheir breakthrough came when they dyed these films using an extract from red onion skins, a common kitchen waste. The result was a filter that blocked 99.9% of UV radiation up to 400 nanometers, a feat that outstripped even the PET-based commercial filters chosen for comparison… [T]he onion-treated filter excelled: it let through over 80% of light in the 650-1,100 nm range — an ideal sweet spot for energy absorption… Even predictive modeling based on early degradation trends suggested the CNF-ROE filter could extend a solar cell’s lifetime to roughly 8,500 hours. The PET-based filter? Just 1,500 hours… [T]he red onion extract offered a rare combination of longevity, transparency, and sustainability… \n\n1,500 ~= year",
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