Plastic Solar Cells - A Promising Breakthrough

Researchers worldwide are still produced even more powerful new polymer (plastic)-cells. The efficiency of plastic solar is rising by around 1% per year. If these rates of development at this pace continue, it may be as little as a few years polymer solar silicon solar cells to move their dominant position. Today, there are polymer cells, which yield 6%). Approximately 10% efficiency would be enough to start for the materials to compete with silicon and 15-18% efficiency.

We will examine the concept of a plastic solar cell. Polymer cells have a specific design in layers: glass in the top, then a transparent electrode, then two layers of polymer electrodes, then a layer of titanium dioxide and finally aluminum. How can we use plastic, solar energy more efficiently? It's all about polymers, which in its active layer can not absorb certain types of light. One way to increase the efficiency of plastic solar material is to use several layers of polymers can choose different bands of light. However, stratification would increase manufacturing costs and thereby defeat the purpose of polymer cheap solar.

The main advantages of polymer solar cells are: They are made of lightweight, thin, flexible film, whose production costs are about three times less than silicon technology, technology is very simple, it could be sprayed on various surfaces, they are transparent, they are easy to handle, and installation costs are lower due to a very easy installation. Soft plastic can be rolled, wrapped and painted surfaces, even on different structures. Plastic solar could replace the tiles or facades of buildings, "said placed on cars, etc. They would need the support of the mounting base (eg on the roof) to eliminate the step, since there would be no extra weight at all. And finally, the cost is three times lower than silicon. Although silicon is a semiconductor abundant natural does not mean it makes for cheap cell that silicon cells are expensive to produce.

And now, take a look at their disadvantages: plastic solar is three times less efficient than silicon solar cells, plastic has a life very short (three years) due to organic carbon in it.

Homeowners and businesses worldwide are looking forward to the development of efficient solar cells on plastic. Now, plastic solar cells are closer to their "coming soon stage" Find Articles, but the day of their triumph is, as we expect. Soon enough, we can see extremely efficient and durable solar technology in plastic.