Flexible solar cells based on foldable silicon wafers with blunted edges
Гибкие солнечные элементы на основе складывающихся кремниевых пластин с затупленными краями
2023-05-24
SCID: 54.1/92sgzcs8
Discuss with AI
crystalline silicon photovoltaicsedge-blunting techniqueflexible photovoltaic modulesflexible silicon solar cellsfoldable silicon wafers
Figures from the paper
Abstract (AI)
Abstract Flexible solar cells have a lot of market potential for application in photovoltaics integrated into buildings and wearable electronics because they are lightweight, shockproof and self-powered. Silicon solar cells have been successfully used in large power plants. However, despite the efforts made for more than 50 years, there has been no notable progress in the development of flexible silicon solar cells because of their rigidity1–4. Here we provide a strategy for fabricating large-scale, foldable silicon wafers and manufacturing flexible solar cells. A textured crystalline silicon wafer always starts to crack at the sharp channels between surface pyramids in the marginal region of the wafer. This fact enabled us to improve the flexibility of silicon wafers by blunting the pyramidal structure in the marginal regions. This edge-blunting technique enables commercial production of large-scale (>240 cm2), high-efficiency (>24%) silicon solar cells that can be rolled similarly to a sheet of paper. The cells retain 100% of their power conversion efficiency after 1,000 side-to-side bending cycles. After being assembled into large (>10,000 cm2) flexible modules, these cells retain 99.62% of their power after thermal cycling between −70 °C and 85 °C for 120 h. Furthermore, they retain 96.03% of their power after 20 min of exposure to air flow when attached to a soft gasbag, which models wind blowing during a violent storm.
Key Findings
1
A marginal edge-blunting strategy prevents crack initiation at sharp channels between surface pyramids in textured crystalline silicon wafers.
2
Cells attached to a soft gasbag retain 96.03% of their power after 20 minutes of airflow exposure simulating violent-storm winds.
3
Flexible modules larger than 10,000 cm² retain 99.62% of their power after thermal cycling from −70 °C to 85 °C for 120 hours.
4
The flexible cells can be rolled like paper while retaining 100% of their power-conversion efficiency after 1,000 side-to-side bending cycles.
5
The technique enables commercial-scale production of foldable silicon wafers exceeding 240 cm² and flexible solar cells with efficiencies above 24%.
Research Object
large-scale foldable crystalline silicon wafers and flexible silicon solar cells with blunted marginal edges
Research Subject
the effects of edge blunting on wafer flexibility, crack initiation, power-conversion efficiency, and mechanical and environmental durability
Publication Details
Publication Date
2023-05-24
Journal
Publisher
ISSN
Cited by
276
Open access PDF
Access Type
Author Information
Download PDF
Subscribe to digest