Solar cells battery printed on T-shirts
Traditional solar panels often use silicon to capture solar energy, and a French company called Dracula Technologies has developed a new type of solar panel that can not only convert solar energy, but also from artificial light energy.
Essentially, this solar panel is an electrically conductive plastic sheet that can be folded and made using an inkjet printer.
The solar panel consists of five printed panels stacked on top of each other. A photoactive layer is sandwiched between two semiconductor sheets that help the outer conductive ink extract the charge. A square module about 5 centimeters in length can be printed in less than an hour, and the largest solar panel the company is currently planning to build is 30 square centimeters.
In the meantime, researchers are also looking for ways to shorten the charging time for solar cells, and they believe the technology is ready for real-world applications. Ben Dkhil said in an interview: "In the next few months, this kind of panel can charge smartphones."
"Our materials capture energy from the light in the room, but using silicon is impossible," says Ben Dkhil, a material physicist at the company. The materials are lightweight, nontoxic and even foldable, all far from being comparable to silicon solar cells.
Because this solar panel can be customized according to shape, color, or even transparency, it is suitable for a variety of uses. In addition, this solar panel can also be printed on electronic equipment, or be fixed to an object that can capture more light.
Imagine printing this solar panel on your T-shirt and going out for a while, relying on the T-shirt to charge your phone.
