INFRARED PLASTIC SOLAR

CELL
Why Use Solar Cells?

 Low maintenance, long lasting sources

of energy
 Provides cost-effective power supplies
for people remote from the main
electricity grid
 Non-polluting and silent sources of
electricity
 Convenient and flexible source of small
amounts of power
 Renewable and sustainable power, as a
The Solar Cell

 The most common type of solar cells are Photovoltaic

Cells (PV cells)
 Converts sunlight directly into electricity
 Cells are made of a semiconductor material (eg. silicon)
 Light strikes the PV cell, and a certain portion is
absorbed
 The light energy (in the form of photons) knocks
electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely, forming a
current
 Metal contacts on the top and bottom of PV cell draws
off the current to use externally as power
Conventional solar cell
Disadvantages of conventional
solar cell

 In conventional solar cell it is observed that

only 35% of the suns total energy is being
used
 The conventional solar cells are not so
favorable on cloudy days
 In order to overcome these disadvantages
we use INFRARED PLASTIC SOLAR
CELL
 Infrared plastic solar cell

 plastic solar cell can turn the suns power

into electric energy even on a cloudy day.
 The plastic material uses nanotechnology
and contains the 1stgeneration solar cells
that can harness the sun’s invisible infrared
rays.
 nano particles called quantum dots are
combined with a polymer to make the
plastic that can detect energy in the
infrared.
Construction of plastic solar
cell

 The solar cell created is actually a hybrid,

comprised of tiny nanorods dispersed in an
organic polymer or plastic
 Nanorods are made of cadmium selenide
 This layer of around 200 nanometers
thickness is sandwiched between electrodes
 The electrodes are coated with aluminium
Plastic solar cell
Working of plastic solar cell

 Nanorods in the plastic solar cell acts like

wires when they absorb light of specific
wavelength they generate an electron and
electron hole vacancy in the rod that moves
around just like an electron
 This electron travels the length of rod until
it is collected by aluminium electrode
 The hole is transferred to the plastic which
is known as a hole carrier and conveyed to
the electrode creating current
 advantages

 They are considered to be 30% more

efficient when compared to conventional
solar cells.
 Traditional solar cells are bulky panels.
This is very compact.
 Flexible, roller processed solar cells have
the potential to turn the sun’s power into a
clean, green, consistent source of energy.
 disadvantages

 It is not cost effective

 Shorter life span when continuously exposed to sun
light
 Requires higher maintenance and constant
monitoring
 Applications
 Development of a super thin disposable solar panel
poster

 A hydrogen powered car painted with the film

could potentially convert energy into electricity to
continually recharge the car’s battery.

 Any chip coated in the material could power cell

phone or other wireless devices.
 Thank
you