Researchers have created a flexible, waterproof organic photovoltaic film that can be integrated into clothing and remain functional after exposure to water and mechanical stress, paving the way for advanced wearable solar-powered devices.
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and their partners have created a flexible, waterproof organic photovoltaic film. This innovative film enables solar cells to be integrated into clothing, maintaining functionality even after exposure to rain or washing cycles.
One of the potential uses of organic photovoltaics is to create wearable electronics—devices that can be attached to clothing that can monitor medical devices, for example, without requiring battery changes. However, researchers have found it challenging to achieve waterproofing without the use of extra layers that end up decreasing the flexibility of the film.
Breakthrough in Photovoltaic Technology
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For the current work, however, the researchers deposited the anode layer, in this case, a silver electrode, directly onto the active layers, creating better adhesion between the layers. They used a thermal annealing process, exposing the film to air at 85 degrees SciTechDaily