On December 11, 2013, Solliance, a European technology alliance focused on thin-film solar cells, announced a major breakthrough in the production of flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. They successfully created a fully inkjet-printed OPV, marking a significant step forward in the field of renewable energy technology.
The key advantage of full inkjet printing is its flexibility in design. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods, this process allows for the creation of custom-shaped solar cells, such as triangular or leaf-shaped units. Additionally, because it doesn't rely on a specific substrate, the technology is compatible with roll-to-roll production, which significantly reduces manufacturing costs and makes large-scale production more feasible.
The OPV developed by Solliance features six layers: silver (Ag) electrodes, highly conductive PEDOT:PSS, zinc oxide (ZnO), an active layer, another layer of PEDOT:PSS, and a final Ag electrode, all printed onto a flexible substrate. The individual cell measures 1 cm x 2 cm, while the module built from these units is approximately 5 inches square (about 12.8 cm). This opens up new possibilities for integrating solar cells into curved or irregular surfaces.
To achieve this, Solliance used Konica Minolta’s industrial inkjet print head, the KM512, in combination with Roth & Rau’s LP50 inkjet printing system. The entire manufacturing process operates at a maximum temperature of 120°C, making it suitable for use with heat-sensitive materials.
The "leaf-shaped solar cell" produced using this innovative technique
Initially, Solliance experimented with the spin-coating method when developing OPVs using full inkjet printing. However, they later refined the process to ensure that each ink layer did not interfere with or damage the previous one. This advancement allowed them to produce a stable and efficient OPV using only inkjet printing.
Although Solliance has not released exact conversion efficiency figures, they mentioned that when using the spin-coating method, the OPV achieved a conversion efficiency of over 75%. While the exact numbers for the inkjet-printed version remain undisclosed, this development still represents a promising milestone in the evolution of flexible solar technology.
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