Flexible silicon panels keep you warm

Silicon in solar cell technology is normally in the form of thick, planar rigid structures that restrict its applications. However, researchers at the University of Illinois claim to have developed a way to make micrometre sized silicon microcells that connect together to form flexible solar panels. Their results feature in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Energy and Environment Science. John Rogers, leading the research, says that his team obtained lightweight, flexible devices that bend without measurable changes in their electrical or mechanical properties by stamping hundreds of these microcells onto plastic substrates. This, says Rogers, makes them ideal for integration on fabrics such as backpacks, clothes and cases. High or low voltage devices can be made simply by arranging the microcells in different ways. Rogers said: "We foresee a much more widespread penetration of silicon based technologies into areas that are currently served only by devices that use organic semiconductors for the active materials - with comparatively poor performance and reliability. Mechanical flexibility also reduces the cost of transport and installation." Heiko Jacobs, electrical and computer engineering expert from the University of Minnesota, added: "The high voltage silicon solar cell modules are another very interesting application of printable silicon. The process lends itself to the realisation of modules that produce high voltages enabling a compact and mechanically flexible design."