Researchers from the University of Toronto have developed a fast way to spray solar cells onto flexible surfaces using colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). Solar-sensitive CQDs printed onto a flexible film could be used to coat all kinds of surfaces. A surface the size of a car roof covered with the CQD film would produce enough energy to power three conventional 100-Watt light bulbs. The deposition method is a play on atomic layer deposition manufacturing. Previously it was only possible to incorporate light-sensitive CQDs onto surfaces through batch processing. The SprayLD deposits a liquid containing CQDs directly onto flexible surfaces, and the researchers have demonstrated the deposition method on flexible materials without any major loss in solar cell efficiency.
Source: University of Toronto
