Researchers Improve Plastic Solar Cell Efficiency by 5% by Adding Alkanedithiols

U.S. (TGW) – Researchers in the United States and Austria have developed a technique to increase efficiency of plastic solar cells by 3.4 to 5.1%.

Alan J. Heeger led a team of researchers that found that by adding a class of chemicals known as alkanedithiols as processing additives the efficiency of plastic solar cells could be increased.

This 5.1% increase is, according to the researchers, “among the highest efficiencies achieved to date for this type of solar cell.”

Plastic solar cells do not use expensive highly refined silicon, unlike photovoltaic solar cells, and are lightweight. They have yet to be used commercially because their current average efficiency is around 5%.

Via :: Press Release