Researchers at MIT have devised ultra-thin printed solar cells that outperform conventional solar cells on an output by weight basis.
Researchers at MIT have created ultra thin, flexible solar cells that can be printed using semiconductor inks and scalable fabrication techniques. They are much thinner than a human hair, weigh 1% as much as a conventional solar panels, and generate 18 times more power per kilogram, according to an MITWhen glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, they are easy to install on any fixed surface.
, which published the research paper on December 9. Thankfully, the paper is not behind a paywall and is accessible to anyone with an internet connection.Traditional silicon solar cells are fragile, which means they have to be encased in glass and packaged in thick aluminum framing. That makes them heavy and inflexible, which in turn limits where and how they can be deployed.began over a decade ago.
They found an ideal material — a composite fabric that weighs only 13 grams per square meter known commercially as Dyneema. This fabric is made of fibers that are so strong they were used as ropes to lift the cruise ship Costa Concordia from the bottom of the Mediterranean . By adding a layer of UV-curable glue only a few microns thick, they adhere the solar modules to sheets of that fabric. This forms an ultra-light and mechanically robust solar structure.
While the MIT solar cells are far lighter and more flexible than traditional cells, they would need to be encased in another material to protect them from the environment. The carbon-based organic material used to make the cells could be modified by interacting with moisture and oxygen in the air, which could deteriorate their performance.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Yellen sees her signature printed on US bills for the first time | CNN BusinessUS Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled to Texas Thursday to mark an important and historic milestone, touring the Fort Worth Bureau of Engraving and Printing facility to observe firsthand the printing of $1 and $5 bills with her signature for the first time.
Read more »
USD/CHF auctions on thin ice around 0.9340 as investors await US CPIThe USD/CHF pair has continued its sideways performance, settled on Friday, in the early Tokyo session as investors are awaiting the announcement of t
Read more »
Why the MCU Cut Thanos' Ultra-Powerful Wife, TerraxiaWhen adapting the original Infinity Gauntlet saga, the MCU cut Thanos' ultra-powerful wife Terraxia. Rejected by Death, Thanos creates his ideal woman, proving once and for all that the Mad Titan wants Death to be his supplicant, not his equal.
Read more »
Tokyo says goodbye to an ultra-modern architectural marvelCompleted in 1972, Nakagin Tower, designed by Kisho Kurokawa, was a landmark of modular architecture: 140 stacked, prefabricated apartment pods. But now the tower is being demolished, its pods time capsules of the ultra-modern 1970s.
Read more »
The ultra hustle, Karens, crypto craziness: We're over you, 2022The rudeness pandemic, the actual pandemic and all things gray. There's a lot to leave behind when 2022 comes to a close. Among other things on the AP's annual Over It list are ASMR and gratuitous grossness on the big screen.
Read more »
The ultra hustle, Karens, crypto craziness: We're over you, 2022The rudeness pandemic, the actual pandemic and all things gray. There's a lot to leave behind when 2022 comes to a close. Among other things on the AP's annual Over It list are ASMR and gratuitous grossness on the big screen.
Read more »