Smart wallpaper absorbs light and heat to convert it into electricity

ArabiaWeather.com - Khitam Amer - Scientists have created a "smart wallpaper", as they call it, made of graphene sheets, which is a flexible two-dimensional material made of carbon.

This smart wallpaper is characterized by its ability to generate electricity with the least amount of light and heat.

The researchers at the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Surrey, Britain, designed graphene sheets by simulating the structure of the eyes of the “moth” insect in their construction of the material, as the eyes of this insect have a microscopic pattern that allows them to see in the most difficult conditions and at the same time direct the light towards the center of the eye.

The researchers also used a technique known as "nano-texture" to form these sheets.

Graphene is characterized by its large capacity and high efficiency in conducting electricity, but it is ineffective in absorbing light, as it absorbs only about 2 to 3% of the light that hits it. Accordingly, scientists recently enhanced the ability of graphene to absorb light by up to 90% by patterning it in a similar manner and close to the eyes of the "moth" insect.

Scientists aspire through this innovation, which is still in its early stages, to integrate these sheets into wallpaper and window glass, as they absorb light and heat from inside and outside the house and convert them into electricity that can be used later in several fields.

The scientists also envisioned that sheets of graphene could be used to encapsulate a range of today's internet connections rather than powering them.