Nanostructures for other uses
Nanostructures for inorganic photovoltaic cells

Nanostructures can also modify the properties of the surfaces on which they are arranged, enabling the creation of hydrophilic or hydrophobic materials, for example. Based on this approach, research has shown that it is possible to design so-called "self-cleaning" solar cells, which are therefore less prone to loss of performance due to the accumulation of dust or other soiling. Indeed, dust-related energy production losses can reach 15% of total production capacity in some parts of the world on a single day of exposure to the outdoor environment. This is particularly the case in arid zones, which are the most likely to host large-scale photovoltaic power plants, as they have fewer land-use constraints and more sunshine.