经济学人19:光电池 室内太阳能

 　　Science and Technolgy.

　　科技。

　　Photoelectric¹ cells.

　　光电池。

　　To dye for.

　　染料光电池。

　　A new type of cell may bring "solar" energy indoors.

　　一种新型电池有望将"太阳能"引进室内。

　　THE phrase "indoor solar power" sounds like an oxymoron. But there is growing interest in the idea of using photoelectric cells to run gadgets² as well as power grids-and doing so even when those gadgets are inside buildings. Much of the light these cells used would, of necessity, come from incandescent³ bulbs, fluorescent⁴ tubes and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) rather than through the window from the sun. But if the right sorts of cells were available this could be cheaper than constantly replacing the batteries that currently power electronic gizmos.

　　"室内太阳能"这词听着像个冤亲词。但是人们却对利用光电池为电子产品及电网供电（即便电子产品位于室内）这个想法兴趣渐浓。当然，这种电池所用的光大部分来自白炽灯、荧光灯及LED灯，而非透过窗户照进来的阳光。若有适合的光电池能替代目前电子产品所用的要经常更换的电池，那用电成本将会降低。

　　On April 8th G24 Innovations, a firm based in Wales, announced that it may have come up with just such a cell. The latest version of its special, dye-based photoelectric devices has set a new record for the conversion⁵ of light from bulbs into electricity: an efficiency of 26%, compared with the 15% which previous ones can manage. That lifts dye-based cells to the point where they might be widely deployable⁶ for indoor power.

　　4月8日，总部位于威尔士的G24创新公司宣布他们可能已经发明出这种电池：公司最新的特制染料光电器件已创下白炽灯光转换为电能的效率新记录：26%，而以前的器件转换效率仅为15%。这使染料电池有望广泛应用至室内发电中。

　　Dye-based cells are similar to the silicon⁷-based variety found on rooftops around the world in that both rely on a semiconductor⁸ to assist the conversion of luminous⁹ energy into the electrical sort. The difference is that in the case of silicon cells, this conversion happens directly. That means the frequency of light absorbed is constrained¹⁰ by the physical properties of silicon itself.

　　染料电池类似于安装在世界各地屋顶上的硅光电池，两者都靠半导体器件将光能转换为电能。它们的区别在于，硅光电池是直接将光能转换为电能的，即受硅的物理性质限制，它只能吸收特定频率的光。

　　In the case of dye-based cells, which were invented at the Federal Polytechnic¹¹ School of Lausanne, in Switzerland, in the 1990s, the light is first captured by molecules¹³ of a photosensitive dye. Tinker with the composition of this dye and you change the frequency of light that can be captured. This makes dye-based cells more flexible than silicon ones.

　　而在染料电池中，光会先被光敏染料的分子捕获。染料电池是在上世纪90年代由瑞士洛桑联邦理工学院发明的。稍微改变一下这种染料的成分，就可以让它吸收另一种频率的光。这个特性使染料电池比硅光电池更加灵活。

　　The dye molecules themselves are bound to tiny particles of titanium dioxide, a less-famous (but cheaper) semiconductor than silicon, and the whole assembly is immersed in an electrolyte and sandwiched between two electrodes. When a photon of light is absorbed by a dye molecule¹², an electron is knocked into the titanium dioxide. From there it travels to one of the electrodes and a current is thus generated.

　　光敏染料分子本身附着在二氧化钛微粒上，二氧化钛是种半导体，没有硅那么广为人知（但更便宜）。整个附着过程都是在电解液里两个电极之间进行的。当一个染料分子吸收一个光子时，一个电子就会受到碰撞，进入二氧化钛中。电子从那里向其中一个电极运动，由此产生电流。

　　The flexibility¹⁴ brought by the dye-based approach makes this sort of cell particularly useful indoors. Silicon-based solar cells have been optimised for sunlight. But artificial light, whether of the incandescent, fluorescent or LED variety, contains a different mixture of frequencies from that put out by the sun. By changing the composition of the dye, G24's engineers ensure that the maximum sensitivity of the cell coincides with whatever frequency mix is appropriate for the artificial light concerned.

　　染料电池的这种灵活性让其特别适用于室内，硅光电池则已被优化至最有利于吸收阳光。但人造光（不论是白炽灯、荧光灯还是LED灯的光）的光谱都和阳光的不同。通过改变所用染料的成分，G24的工程师保证了光电池的最大感光度与特定场合使用的适当的人造光源的光谱相吻合。

　　Besides being tweakable to match the spectrum¹⁵ of a light-bulb, dye-based cells also work well in dim or diffuse¹⁶ light of the sort often found indoors. Silicon-based systems do not. And dye-based cells, having no rigid¹⁷ parts, can bend, and are mechanically robust¹⁸ compared with the silicon sort. That gives them a further advantage over silicon cells, especially for powering consumer gadgets.

　　除了能够稍作调整以适应灯泡的光谱外，染料电池还能在昏暗的环境或漫反射光照射下（常见于室内）正常工作，硅光电池则不然。而且染料电池没有刚性部件，可弯曲，与硅电池相比更为结实耐用。这让它们比硅光电池又多了一项优势，尤其是在为消费电子产品供电方面。

　　Steven Burt, G24's chief financial officer, talks of light-bulb-powered TV remote controls, smoke detectors¹⁹ and computer keyboards. (A non-removable internal battery would store charge for use when the lights are off.) The company already offers prototypes of bags and jackets with photosensitive panels woven in, designed to charge digital cameras and mobile phones, and a hotel in Las Vegas is using G24's products to run its electric window-blinds. Mr Burt also sees a market for powering the networks of sensors²⁰ needed to monitor things like temperature and humidity in modern "smart" buildings.

　　G24的财务总监史蒂芬?伯特（Steven Burt）谈到了用灯泡供电的电视遥控器、烟雾探测器和电脑键盘。（内置一个固定电池储存电能以在关灯后供电。）该公司已推出内部装有光敏电池板的夹克和背包样品，用来为数码相机和手机充电。现在，拉斯维加斯的一家酒店使用了G24的产品来为其电动百叶窗供电。史蒂芬?伯特还认为染料电池在为现代"智能"建筑中的传感器网络（用于监测温度、湿度等）供电方面很有市场。

　　Eventually, says Mr Burt, the ability of dye-based cells to produce useful quantities of power even in dim and diffuse light could see them used outside, perhaps on rooftops in cloudier parts of the world-a market at present dominated by traditional, silicon-based cells, even though they are not well-suited to the purpose. But for now, G24's factory in Cardiff, not a city known for its sunshine, remains²¹ powered by a wind turbine.

　　史蒂芬?伯特说，在昏暗或漫反射光环境里染料电池也能产生足够的电量，最终这种性能会让它们能够应用于室外，可能是装在云层较厚的地区的屋顶上。这个市场目前是由传统的硅光电池主导，虽然它们并不适合在昏暗环境下工作。只不过，G24公司位于加的夫这个日照不多的城市的工厂如今却仍然依靠风力涡轮机发电。

1 photoelectric   

adj.光电的，光电效应的

参考例句：

• Photoelectric spectrophotometers give better result.用光电分光光度计能得到较佳结果。
• Einstein also explained a baffling feature of the photoelectric effect.爱因斯坦也解释了光电效应里一个令人困扰的现象。

2 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

3 incandescent   

adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的

参考例句：

• The incandescent lamp we use in daily life was invented by Edison.我们日常生活中用的白炽灯，是爱迪生发明的。
• The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen.他炽热的语言点燃了他本国同胞的勇气。

4 fluorescent   

adj.荧光的，发出荧光的

参考例句：

• They observed the deflections of the particles by allowing them to fall on a fluorescent screen.他们让粒子落在荧光屏上以观察他们的偏移。
• This fluorescent lighting certainly gives the food a peculiar color.这萤光灯当然增添了食物特别的色彩。

5 conversion   

n.转化，转换，转变

参考例句：

• He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
• Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。

6 deployable   

糟透的，可叹的，可悲的； 应受谴责的； 破旧的

参考例句：

• Here you can add and remove deployable languages and retail products. 您可以在这儿添加和删除可部署语言和零售产品。
• Deployable underwater Surveillance Systems-Analysis of Experimental Results. Part 3; Saclantcen rept. 可配置水下监视系统枣实验结果分析。第三部分。

7 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

8 semiconductor   

n.半导体

参考例句：

• In the beginning,engineers hoped to use semiconductor lasers.在开始时，工程师们希望能够利用半导体激光器。
• The main agent of the company brand semiconductor sales.本公司主要代理各品牌半导体销售。

9 luminous   

adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的

参考例句：

• There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。
• Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。

10 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

11 polytechnic   

adj.各种工艺的，综合技术的；n.工艺(专科)学校；理工(专科)学校

参考例句：

• She was trained as a teacher at Manchester Polytechnic.她在曼彻斯特工艺专科学校就读，准备毕业后做老师。
• When he was 17,Einstein entered the Polytechnic Zurich,Switzerland,where he studied mathematics and physics.17岁时，爱因斯坦进入了瑞士苏黎士的专科学院，学习数学和物理学。

12 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

13 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

14 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

15 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

16 diffuse   

v.扩散；传播；adj.冗长的；四散的，弥漫的

参考例句：

• Direct light is better for reading than diffuse light.直射光比漫射光更有利于阅读。
• His talk was so diffuse that I missed his point.他的谈话漫无边际，我抓不住他的要点。

17 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

18 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

19 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

20 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

21 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。