Dec 27, 2022 09:00:00

A solar cell that is thinner and lighter than human hair and can be adhered to any surface will be developed

Solar

cells used for photovoltaic power generation are mainly made of glass and silicon, and their large size and weight are problematic. However, a research team led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researcher Vladimir Burovic solves this problem by developing ultra-thin, lightweight solar cells that can be adhered to any surface.

Printed Organic Photovoltaic Modules on Transferable Ultra‐thin Substrates as Additive Power Sources - Saravanapavanantham - Small Methods - Wiley Online Library
https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202200940

Paper-Thin Solar Makes Any Surface Photovoltaic - IEEE Spectrum
https://spectrum.ieee.org/thin-film-solar-panels

``To date, solar power generation has been hampered by weight problems in conventional silicon solar cells,'' said Brovic. In addition, solar cells using organic thin film solar cells are said to be lightweight and inexpensive, but they must be mounted on a glass plate, which ultimately weighs the same as silicon solar cells.

On the other hand, Mr. Burovic said, ``We believe that reducing the weight of solar cells by creating organic thin-film solar cells on a plastic film will lead to the manufacture of larger solar panels and lower installation costs. I will.” However, the organic thin-film solar cells developed so far are fragile, and the performance was far from practical use.

So, Brovic and his team decided that by coating a plastic sheet with a layer of

parylene , which is electrically insulating and can protect against moisture and corrosion, and printable inks on various materials, it would be possible to make the hair more dense than human hair. We succeeded in creating a highly efficient solar cell with a thickness of about 2 to 3 micrometers.

When the research team transferred the completed solar cell from the parylene substrate to a commercial cloth and measured the power density , the power density was 370 W / kg and the weight was 0.1 kg per square meter. On the other hand, conventional silicon solar cells have a power density of 20 W/kg and a weight of 10.7 kg/m2, while glass-mounted solar cells have a power density of 13 W/kg and a weight of 14 kg/m2.

As a result of verification, it was shown that the solar cell created by Mr. Burovic and his team is 1/100th the weight of conventional solar cells and generates about 18 times more power.

The size of the solar cell created by the research team is currently 10 x 10 cm, but it is said that it is easy to make it larger. There is nothing to prevent it from getting bigger.'

In the future, the research team plans to increase the size of this solar cell and improve it for practical use. In the future, the further spread of solar power generation and lamination on boat sails and tents may help supply power in remote areas and during disaster relief activities, according to the scientific news site IEEE Spectrum. says.