MIT researchers create paper solar panels

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new, cheaper technology for producing solar cells by directly printing on paper or cloth.

The technique that will have to work in a vacuum consists in applying a special “ink” of a pre-calculated array of solar cells on a paper or fabric base - as a result, materials that are resistant to bending and twisting and do not lose electrical conductivity are obtained.

The method developed by Karen Glison, a professor of chemical technologies, Vladimir Bulovich, a professor of electrical engineering, graduate of Miles Barr and six other students and candidates of science, differs from the existing methods of creating solar cells. If the usual production method requires liquid liquids and high temperatures (several hundred degrees), then pairs are used in the “printed” elements, the temperature is lower than 120 degrees and simpler equipment.

New technology of production of solar cells is also less expensive. Today, a lot of expensive inactive (non-energy producing) components are required: the base (most often glass), which holds photovoltaic materials, structures to support the base, plus the cost of installing equipment costs more than the photo cells themselves. Due to the availability of basic materials such as paper and fabric, “printed” solar cells can become really cheap.
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The only drawback of “paper” solar cells is efficiency - which is about 1%. Gleason and the team hope to complete the work on the materials used in production, increasing overall efficiency and reducing losses.

Research in this area is extremely important. Just imagine the energy elements in the form of wallpaper or curtains that produce electricity.



Post written by DmitryAnatolich , I also act as a publisher because Comrade has problems with “forbidden word” karma , so that all benefits should be addressed to him.