How does a graphene-based solar cell work?

They measured an optical transmittance close to 90 percent for the graphene film under visible light. The prototyped graphene-based solar cell improves by roughly 36 times the delivered power per weight, compared to ITO-based state-of-the-art devices. It also uses 1/200 the amount of material per unit area for the transparent electrode.

Can graphene be used for solar panels?

Large sheets of transparent graphene that could be used for lightweight, flexible solar cells or electronics displays can now be created using a method developed at MIT. The technique involves a buffer layer of parylene for the graphene transfer process.

How can graphene integration improve solar cell efficiency?

The requirements to meet in these cases go beyond solar cell efficiency and include various additional key functionalities that graphene integration could help to achieve, like PV device conformity, flexibility, environmental compatibility (bio medium), or tuneable optical transparency or colour.

Are graphene-based solar cells better than ITO?

The prototyped graphene-based solar cell improves by roughly 36 times the delivered power per weight, compared to ITO-based state-of-the-art devices. It also uses 1/200 the amount of material per unit area for the transparent electrode. And, there is a further fundamental advantage compared to ITO: “Graphene comes for almost free,” Azzellino says.

Could atomically thin graphene lead to ultra-lightweight solar cells?

A new way of making large sheets of high-quality, atomically thin graphene could lead to ultra-lightweight, flexible solar cells, and to new classes of light-emitting devices and other thin-film electronics.

Can graphene be integrated into future energy devices?

These developments raise several fundamental material science questions that need to be more deeply addressed within the Graphene Flagship project to secure graphene integration into future energy devices.