Can a photovoltaic material be used for flexible solar cells?

In general, if a photovoltaic material can be deposited onto a substrate at temperatures below 300 °C, the material can potentially be used in fabricating flexible solar cells. Several types of active materials, such as a-Si:H, CIGS, small organics, polymers, and perovskites, have broadly been investigated for flexible solar cell application.

What materials are used for flexible solar cells?

Several types of active materials, such as a-Si:H, CIGS, small organics, polymers, and perovskites, have broadly been investigated for flexible solar cell application. In the following sections, we will discuss the fundamentals of these materials and their strength, weaknesses, and future perspectives for flexible solar cells.

What are photovoltaic materials?

A detailed examination of photovoltaic materials, including monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon as well as alternative materials such as cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), and emerging perovskite solar cells, is presented.

What materials can be used for photovoltaic applications?

With a growing array of materials being explored for photovoltaic applications, ranging from traditional silicon-based semiconductors to emerging organic, perovskite, and thin-film materials, understanding the nuances of each material’s characteristics has become pivotal.

Which materials can be used in bending and foldable solar cells?

By now, carbon nanotube, graphene, ultrathin metal, metal nanowire, metal grids, conductive polymer, and their complex, have been widely applied in the robust bendable and foldable solar cells.

Which materials are used for flexible PV devices?

To date, metal foil, ultrathin glass, and plastic have been suggested as alternate flexible substrate materials (Table 1). Among them, plastic (polymer) substrates have been widely used for conventional flexible PV devices.