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发帖数: 2964 | 1 蝴蝶的翅膀结构利于太阳能的吸收。
可能用于更有效地利用太阳能吧。
Butterfly wings are not just beautiful. They are also sophisticated
collectors of solar energy that help butterflies stay warm, and researchers
say that their shinglelike structure could provide valuable clues into
developing better solar technology.
“Light manipulation and light-harvesting abilities are important for the
performance of solar energy devices,” said Tongxiang Fan, a materials
scientist at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China who is leading the
effort. He and his colleagues reported their findings last week at the
American Chemical Society’s annual meeting in San Diego.
The scientists used an electron microscope to study the wing structure of
two species of black butterflies. (They picked black wings because they
absorb the maximum amount of sunlight.)
They found that the wings are composed of elongated rectangular scales,
arranged a bit like overlapping shingles on a roof. The scales on each type
of butterfly also had steep ridges, with small holes on either side leading
to a second layer.
These features direct light to the second layer, helping the butterfly to
capture a lot of heat.
The researchers also built a model to harness solar power the same way the
butterflies’ wings do.
“The prototype is very, very effective,” Dr. Fan said. He and his team are
now working to create a commercial product that uses the wings as
inspiration. “This is only the first step,” he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/solar-energy-inspirat |
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