Scientists develop organic solar cells specifically for indoor lighting

According to foreign media New Atlas, organic solar cells are thin, flexible, lightweight and cheap compared to their more common counterparts using crystalline silicon semiconductors, allowing them to be used in a variety of articles. Now, researchers have developed a product optimized for indoor lighting.

Scientists develop organic solar cells specifically for indoor lighting

The new organic solar cell was developed by scientists from Link ping University in Sweden, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing University of Science and Technology. The active layer consists of a unique combination of donor and acceptor materials, enabling it to absorb the precise wavelengths of light common in most indoor environments. In short, the donor material absorbs photons, while the acceptor gains electrons.

So far, scientists have created two prototypes, one measuring 1 square centimeter and the other measuring 4 square centimeters.

According to reports, when exposed to artificial light with an intensity of 1000 lux, the smaller one was found to convert light energy into electrical energy with an efficiency of up to 26.1%. For more than 1000 hours, it uses ambient light to provide a voltage of more than 1 volt, which varies from 200 to 1000 lux (typical indoor lighting range). At the same time, the larger battery maintains 23% efficiency.

This conversion rate is worth noting because organic solar cells are generally not known to be particularly effective. In fact, scientists believe that once further developed, the conversion rate of indoor organic solar cells should be increased even higher. They can then be used for various applications, such as powering simple devices that are part of the Internet of Things.

The technology is now commercialized by Link?ping University spin-off company. A paper on the study was recently published in the journal Nature & Energy.

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