Fiber and fabric solar cells by directly weaving carbon nanotube yarns with CdSe nanowire-based electrodes.
Electrode materials are key components for fiber solar cells, and when combined with active layers (for light absorption and charge generation) in appropriate ways, they enable design and fabrication of efficient and innovative device structures. Here, we apply carbon nanotube yarns as counter electrodes in combination with CdSe nanowire-grafted primary electrodes (Ti wire) for making fiber and fabric-shaped photoelectrochemical cells with power conversion efficiencies in the range 1% to 2.9%. The spun-twist long nanotube yarns possess both good electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility compared to conventional metal wires or carbon fibers, which facilitate fabrication of solar cells with versatile configurations. A unique feature of our process is that instead of making individual fiber cells, we directly weave single or multiple nanotube yarns with primary electrodes into a functional fabric. Our results demonstrate promising applications of semiconducting nanowires and carbon nanotubes in woven photovoltaics.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China.
Luhui
L
Zhang
Enzheng
E
Shi
Chunyan
C
Ji
Zhen
Z
Li
Peixu
P
Li
Yuanyuan
Y
Shang
Yibin
Y
Li
Jinquan
J
Wei
Kunlin
K
Wang
Hongwei
H
Zhu
Dehai
D
Wu
Anyuan
A
Cao
D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004566:Electrodes; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy
D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D018036:Selenium Compounds; C058667:cadmium selenide