Arab scientists have created solar panels that can be printed on a printer

A scientific group from Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in creating new solar panels. They have developed a unique polymer ink and tested a completely new printing method with a record efficiency for the current class of solar panels.

Until this day, solar panels made from especially thin organic elements were created using the centrifugation method or the thermal spraying method.

Who Created Printable Solar Panels

Scientific group based at the Scientific and Technological University. King Abdullah created an ink designed to print solar panels - transparent, flexible and conductive.

The disadvantage of these technologies was that they cannot be scaled, and the geometry of the solar panel is also severely limited. Indeed, in the role of an electrode, they use a transparent conductive material, indium-tin oxide, which is rather fragile and cruel.

The ink was based on polystyrene sulfonate polymer. Organic photo electroplating was placed between the electrodes. At the same time, it is quite acceptable to completely cover the resulting product with parylene, a flexible material with water-repellent properties with a biocompatible material.

The complexities of solar panel printing

Inkjet printing is a fairly cheap and easily scalable production option. The main task of the engineers was to create working ink.

It was necessary to solve the problem of intermolecular forces of interaction between the cartridge and the ink, because it was necessary to realize very small drops from a miniature nozzle.

In addition, it was necessary to choose the right solvents in order to ensure the correct drying algorithm (it has a strong effect on the final film met all the requirements).

After numerous experiments, engineers were able to print the solar panel onto glass and thoroughly test its operation.

As the measurements showed, the panel efficiency was 4.73%, which is higher than the last record for similar panels (previously the value was 4.1%). In addition, successful printing on the thinnest flexible substrate was tested and the efficiency of the printed solar panel was 3.6%.

Where will similar solar panels be used?

Prospects for the use of ultra-thin printed solar panels are quite wide. So, for example, they can be used to maintain the performance of wearable electronics (medical sensors).

Well, we just have to wait for the full implementation of the technology to the masses.

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