Smart Planet : Printable flexiable Solar Cells on Cloth or Paper (Foldable)

[Hope]

Thought this development was worth your time all.

Video: Printable paper solar panels can power gadgets | SmartPlanet

[hartiberlin]

Here is the MIT site about it:

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/printable-solar-cells-0711.html


You can download a PDF file about it.

The only process they did is making the foldable electrodes.

The real PV material is still an expensive step via vapour deposition probably
done in a vaccuum chamber, so it is no real homemade cell as one needs expensive
vaccuum equipment.

Also the conversion efficiency is only at 1 % right now...

But maybe they could open source this so many more people could work on this ?

Are the US universities forced to put their research into the open source,
if it is funded by tax payer money as it is in Europe ?


Well we need better any easier solar cells that can really be printed by cheap printers
or being just a paint being put on graphite paper or simular easier cells.

Regards, Stefan.

[hartiberlin]

Here is the mentioned PDF file.

If anyone can find out, what exact photovoltaic chemicals,
that produce the PN gapband layer and really convert the light into
electricity and which thickness is used, they print on there ,
please post the process and the materials  they are using there.


http://web.mit.edu/mitei/news/energy-futures/Energy_Futures_Autumn2011.pdf

Many thanks.

Regards, Stefan.