Recent issue of Advanced Energy Materials journal has published a new research that has the potential to change the way solar cells are presently manufactured and consequent changes in the production of renewable solar power.
The study performed by the researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Sheffield establishes a cost effective production process by depositing flexible layers of materials over bigger sized areas such as cling-film to produce resourceful solar cell structures.
The researchers utilized Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron Source at Oxford-shire located STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to perform the research. The researchers demonstrated that when composite mixes of molecules in solution are applied over a surface like applying of varnish over a table-top, the dissimilar molecules split and lay over the top and bottom of the layer in such a way to improve the efficiency of the resultant solar cell. They also have found that the production of plastic (polymer) solar cells is cost-effective than the manufacture of traditional silicon solar cells and can be manufactured in large quantities.
A researcher from the University of Sheffield, Dr Andrew Parnell, said that the results have provided various approaches to the manufacture of bulk quantities of inexpensive solar modules for business and domestic use. He explained that the process instead of deploying expensive manufacturing processes to make a precise semiconductor nanostructure will utilize high volume printing techniques to manufacture nano-scale films (60 nano-meters) of solar cells that are over one thousand times slenderer than the thickness of a human hair. He further said that the manufactured films can be used to produce light, cheap and easy to transport plastic solar panels.
Dr. Robert Dalgliesh, an ISIS scientist participated in the research said that the work proves the significance of using neutron and x-ray diffusion sources such as ISIS and Diamond in a mixed manner over the solar cell materials to investigate the properties and internal structure of them without causing damages. He explained such processes have enabled the researchers to understand how various steps improve or reduce the total performance of a polymer solar cell.
Source: http://www.stfc.ac.uk/