Scientists created solar cells so thin, flexible and lightweight that they could be placed on top of a soap bubble without breaking it.
Ultrathin, flexible photovoltaic cells from MIT research could find many new uses. Researchers at MIT have now demonstrated just such a technology. Though it may take years to develop into a commercial product, the laboratory proof-of-concept shows a new approach to making solar cells that could help power the next generation of portable electronic devices.
Images credit Joel Jean and Anna Osherov
The new process is described in a paper by MIT professor Vladimir Bulović, research scientist Annie Wang, and doctoral student Joel Jean, in the journal Organic Electronics.
Researcher Vladimir Bulović from MIT, said:
“It could be so light that you don’t even know it’s there, on your shirt or on your notebook. These cells could simply be an add-on to existing structures.
We have a proof-of-concept that works. How many miracles does it take to make it scalable? We think it’s a lot of hard work ahead, but likely no miracles needed.”
source mit.edu
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