Tobacco plants can grow solar cells

[implague]

Infect tobacco plants with the right virus and they will produce solar cells for you.

Chop up the plants, extract the structures, and in theory you can spray them on a coated glass or plastic substrate, then harvest electricity.

The Nano Letters paper on this is causing quite a stir, bringing welcome publicity to Professor Matt Francis and his colleagues.

In the paper Francis (below) notes that the tobacco mosaic virus, which causes molting and discoloration of leaves, contains a protein coat that has long been studied by nanoscale researchers.

What they now have is a circular permutation of the protein that lines structures up to a center, can be seen in an electron microscope (above), that can be harvested in high yields, and that will self-assemble into light-harvesting rods.

Best of all, these rods are stable across a wide pH range, allowing creation of geometries much like those found in nature.

original article http://www.smartplanet.com/technology/blog/thinking-tech/tobacco-plants-can-grow-solar-cells/2833/?tag=content;col1

[Bizarre™]

Their idea better not encourage smokers :P

[implague]

if its u then they dont ne chances but if u thinking abt Shought then mite b the possibility :rolleyes:

i am xtreamly sorry shought i really didnt mean that :unsure:

[DKT27]

@Bizarre: +1. Tobacco doesn't help anyone, in day to day life. -_-

[shought]

if its u then they dont ne chances but if u thinking abt Shought then mite b the possibility :rolleyes:

i am xtreamly sorry shought i really didnt mean that :unsure:

Nah, I don't smoke man... What's the point? Acting tough, drinking power drinks, smoking and acting like you 'don't care', not for me ;)

No problem man, you can play jokes on me, just know, I counter :P

[Bizarre™]

@implague:

Beware of shought... he might do some penetration when you least expect it... :lmao:

[implague]

im already feelin pain in my A** :frusty: