Stretchable, elastic materials and devices for solar energy conversion

Abstract

This Perspective reviews stretchable, elastic materials and devices of use for the conversion of solar energy. Stretchable and extremely flexible photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical cells would be useful as, for example, power sources for rugged and collapsible electronic and biomedical devices, foldable, weather-resistant solar roofs for applications in the field, and conformable solar panels for one-time bonding to the curved surfaces of buildings and vehicles. The review discusses elastic substrates, semiconductors, and electrodes. It then describes examples of whole devices comprising these elastic components. The Perspective tends to emphasize materials of interest for excitonic solar cells—e.g., organic solar cells, those based on semiconductor nanocrystals, and dye sensitized solar cells—because of their potential for stretchability and extreme flexibility, but also discusses crystalline photovoltaic devices and nanostructured photoelectrochemical cells.