Flexible Solar Cells: The Power of Surface Treatments

Flexible solar cells have seen a lot of progress lately. They are getting better at turning sunlight into energy and staying tough. One big reason for this is the use of a special material called polyethylene naphthalate. This stuff is like the backbone of these solar cells, making them bendable and strong. Now, let's talk about something called 2D organic surface treatments. These are like special coatings that can make solar cells work better and last longer. Three types were tested: phenylethylammonium iodide, 5-ammonium valeric acid iodide, and butylammonium iodide. Each one had a different effect on the solar cells. The first two treatments, phenylethylammonium iodide and butylammonium iodide, showed very low voltage losses. This means they were pretty good at keeping the solar cells efficient. But the third one, 5-ammonium valeric acid iodide, had much higher losses. So, it wasn't as effective. Butylammonium iodide had another cool effect. It made the solar cells much stronger. The average stiffness of the cells increased a lot, reaching a maximum of 2 GPa. This is like giving the solar cells a superpower to resist bending and breaking. With the butylammonium iodide treatment, the solar cells reached a power conversion efficiency of 19. 81%. That's pretty impressive! Plus, they stayed strong even after being bent 10, 000 times. This shows that these treatments can really boost both the performance and durability of flexible solar cells. It's a big step forward in making flexible electronic devices that are both efficient and tough. So, what does all this mean? It means that these 2D treatments are a big deal. They can help make solar cells that are not only better at turning sunlight into energy but also last longer. This is important for making flexible electronics that are reliable and long-lasting. It's a win-win situation.