Researchers at the US based Stanford University have developed the world's first peel-and-stick thin-film solar cells which can be applied to virtually any surface.
The biggest hurdle that researchers had to overcome in order to make the peel and stick solar cells was to get photovoltaics to 'loosen up' as solar cells are rigid and are often limited to large fixed panels.
Image courtesy: Nature journal
Glen Martin, freelance writer at Stanford University spoke to Xiaolin Zheng, a Stanford assistant professor of mechanical engineering and senior author of the paper who explained:
“Nonconventional or ‘universal’ substrates are difficult to use for photovoltaics because they typically have irregular surfaces and they don’t do well with the thermal and chemical processing necessary to produce today’s solar cells,” Zheng says. “We got around these problems by developing this peel-and-stick process, which gives thin-film solar cells flexibility and attachment potential we’ve never seen before, and also reduces their general cost and weight.”
“It’s significant that we didn’t lose any of the original cell efficiency,” says Zheng.
Chi Hwan Lee, lead author of the paper and a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering said that although others have been successful in fabricating thin-film solar cells on flexible substrates before they have had to modify the existing processes or materials whereas the Stanford team have managed to do so without modifying any existing processes, facilities or materials therefore making them 'viable commercially'.
Zheng added that the peel and stick solar cells could be applied to helmets, mobile phones, convex windows, portable electronic devices, curved roofs or even clothing.
