'Silicon ink' for solar cells glides toward production

[jpak]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10355500-54.html

JA Solar, one of the big players in the solar industry, is working with Innovalight to commercialize the latter's method for making silicon-ink-based, high-efficiency solar cells, the companies said this week.

Innovalight first got noticed in 2007 for perfecting a process in which it could essentially ink-jet-manufacture solar cells using a proprietary silicon ink it had developed. The solar cells are created by pouring an ink solution incorporated with silicon nanoparticles and then decanting the excess liquid to leave behind a crystalline silicon structure.

At the time of the 2007 announcement, Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Innovalight claimed its method not only resulted in solar cells that were cheaper to produce by as much as half, but that the crystalline structure resulting from the process made its cells more efficient at converting electricity.

Those claims now appear to be validated.

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[krispos42]

1. I read about something like this in... "Machine Design" maybe

They can print it out on polycarbonate plastic, the same kind they make 2-liter soda bottles from.

And they can do it reel-to-reel, too. Imagine just "unrolling" a solar panel across a roof and soldering on a few wires!

:woohoo:

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. This is different technology

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=209294&mesg_id=210753

[Vincardog]

2. Cool I want some

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. See Also

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=209294&mesg_id=210753