These cells could be laminated onto various kinds of surfaces, such as the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea.

Scientists develop mega-thin solar cells that could be shockingly easy to produce: ‘As rapid as printing a newspaper’::These cells could be laminated onto various kinds of surfaces, such as the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea.

    • @SCBEnglish
      17•1 year ago

      It’s a different process. Multiple processes with varied applications are absolutely essential to making this style of solar the norm

      It’s a great thing that this particular field continues to see innovation.

      New process

      Scientists used electronic printable inks, using a technique similar to how designs are printed on t-shirts. As these thin solar cells are difficult to handle and can tear easily, scientists searched for a lightweight, flexible, and resilient material that could adhere to those solar cells. The fabric they chose was Dyneema Composite Fabric, a material known for its incredible strength.

      After printing the electrodes on a flat sheet of plastic, they glued the sheet of plastic on Dyneema. Lastly, they peeled away the fabric, which has picked up the electrodes, leaving a clean sheet of plastic behind.

      Your linked process:

      The organic solar cells being deployed have been printed on laminated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic by a printer formerly used for wine labels.

      The 18 metre long ultralight and ultraflexible strips are similar in thickness and appearance to a chip packet, the university team have said.

      • @[email protected]English
        2•1 year ago

        The fabric they chose was Dyneema Composite Fabric

        As a fabric geek with a cut/sew shop working on marine canvas, this gives me a raging boner. The panel making process might be cheap but I’ll tell you dyneema fabric isn’t. Bet there’s great mark-up on it though! 🤑

    • @[email protected]English
      1•1 year ago

      We do love “discovering” other peoples things and claiming they’re “the new _____”