The Power of Reflection
2/25/2022
Silver is the most reflective element, and polished silver reflects 95% of the visible light spectrum. Silver is also efficient – a thin layer of no more than 100 nm is sufficient to maximize its reflectivity, and thicker layers do not increase reflectivity. Accordingly, silver is used in mirrors, telescopes, microscopes, and solar cells. A paste containing silver is a critical application in photovoltaic (PV) cells used in solar technology. Silver helps conduct the gathered electricity out of the cell so it can be stored or consumed, and because of its superior reflective quality, silver increases the potential sunlight captured, energy conducted, and total power that is ultimately collected in a solar cell. Learn more from The Silver Institute.
