High-Efficiency, Mass-Producible, and Colored Solar Photovoltaics Enabled by Self-Assembled Photonic Glass

Abstract

Building-integrated photovoltaics is a crucial technology for developing zero-energy buildings and sustainable cities, while great efforts are required to make photovoltaic (PV) panels aesthetically pleasing. This places an urgent demand on PV colorization technology that has a low impact on power conversion efficiency (PCE) and is simultaneously mass-producible at a low cost. To address this challenge, this study contributes a colorization strategy for solar PVs based on short-range correlated dielectric microspheres, i.e., photonic glass. Through theoretical studies, first we demonstrate that the photonic glass self-assembled by high-index microspheres could enable both colored solar cells and modules, with easily variable colors and negligible parasitic absorption. By a fast spray coating process of colloidal monodisperse ZnS microspheres, we show the photonic glass layer could be easily deposited on silicon solar cells, enabling them to have structural colors. Through varying microsphere sizes, solar cells with different colors are achieved, showing low PCE loss compared to normal black cells. These colored solar cells are also encapsulated with a general lamination process to produce PV modules with various colors and patterns at a stunning PCE approaching 21%. Moreover, the long-term stability is subsequently verified by aging tests including an outdoor exposure for 10 days and a damp-heat test for 1000 h, and the mass producibility is demonstrated by presenting a colored PV panel with an output power over 108 W. These results confirm photonic glass as a promising strategy for colored PVs possessing high efficiency and practical applicability.

Lithography-Free, Large-Area Spatially Segmented Disordered Structure for Light Harvesting in Photovoltaic Modules

“…All these phenomena reduce the photocurrent that can be achieved in cells. − To overcome the limitations, a strategy to reduce the inactive area of the solar cell and efficient light delivery to the active area is highly required, eliminating losses from nonradiative recombination or incomplete absorption. , The incorporation of properly designed nanostructures to control the flow of light reduces the aforementioned optical losses and mitigates optical absorption, increasing the photocurrent, particularly through encapsulation layers. − Encapsulation is the final step in the modularization of solar cells, and it covers the surface of the cell and controls the transmission properties of the incident light to promote maximum conversion in the primary cell without affecting its intrinsic behavior . Based on the design of the photonic structure to deliver sunlight into the active area, structural approaches such as the use of prisms, randomly scattered pyramid structures, , tapered structures, , diffraction gratings, , correlating nanostructure, and periodic/nonperiodic array , have been reported. Fundamentally, focused on either antireflection (AR) or light redirection, its designing and processing results are successfully presented. − However, to address the entailing issues from optical losses, a more robust/comprehensive strategy is necessary, which can simultaneously control the incident light to achieve AR, light collection, and complete light trapping. , Furthermore, to maximize the light harvesting performance with satisfactory cost-effectiveness of modularization of the PV system and scalability, simple-processed and affordable photonic structures are required.…”

“…9−11 Encapsulation is the final step in the modularization of solar cells, and it covers the surface of the cell and controls the transmission properties of the incident light to promote maximum conversion in the primary cell without affecting its intrinsic behavior. 12 Based on the design of the photonic structure to deliver sunlight into the active area, structural approaches such as the use of prisms, 13 randomly scattered pyramid structures, 14,15 tapered structures, 16,17 diffraction gratings, 18,19 correlating nanostructure, 20 and periodic/nonperiodic array 21,22 have been reported. Fundamentally, focused on either antireflection (AR) or light redirection, its designing and processing results are successfully presented.…”

Study on the effect of chain extenders on aliphatic polyurethane and its application

“…Laminated glass consists of a polymer elastic layer and glass. [1][2][3][4] It is significant to investigate the performance between polymer film and glass. Common intermediate films used in laminated glass include polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and others.…”

Using Photonic Glasses as Colored Covers for Solar Energy Harvesting

“…Recently we reported mass‐producible and high‐efficiency colored PVs using the photonic glass self‐assembled by colloidal ZnS microspheres, preliminarily validating the idea. [ 26 ] To guide practical applications in the future, the relationship between structure, color, and solar radiation transmittance needs to be figured out.…”

“…Recently we reported massproducible and high-efficiency colored PVs using the photonic glass self-assembled by colloidal ZnS microspheres, preliminarily validating the idea. [26] To guide practical applications in the future, the relationship between structure, color, and solar radiation transmittance needs to be figured out.As a colored cover for solar energy harvesting materials like solar cells that work outdoor, the photonic glass layer is better to be embedded in a polymer encapsulant (Figure 1A). The increasing demand for renewable energy is promoting technologies that integrate solar energy harvesting materials with the human living environment, such as building-integrated photovoltaics.…”