Light, Flexible Solar Cell Developed

Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) announced on September 16, 2003, that it has started sample shipments of titanium oxide paste, an electrode material for light, flexible solar cells.

The flexible cell is a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC). It generates electricity when electrons in the dye are excited by solar energy absorption and transferred to electrodes made of semiconductor material such as titanium oxide particles, in a process called photon-to-electron conversion. Compared with silicon-based solar cells used for calculators, DSCs are easier to manufacture and composed of less expensive materials.

Conventionally, glass has been used as an electrode substrate, because heat treatment at nearly 500 degrees Celsius has been required for titanium oxide particles to form efficient electrodes for photon-to-electron conversion. SDK has now successfully developed a new titanium oxide paste that can form efficient electrodes at lower temperatures, which has made it possible to use resin-film substrates (PET resin).

A titanium oxide film is created by applying titanium oxide paste to resin film substrates and drying. Flexible DSCs can be applied to vehicles as well as to such everyday products as hats, umbrellas, blinds, and tents, and are expected to be used as portable power generators.



Posted: 2003/11/15 11:45:04 AM
Japanese version