Infrared solar plastic cell

1. INFRARED SOLAR PLASTIC
CELL
Presented by
Mathew Joseph
Reg no: 14018761
Roll No: 21
Under the guidance of
Ms. Elizabeth Alphonsa Jose
Department of Electrical Engineering

2. Contents
1. Introduction
2. Why use solar cells?
3. Conventional Solar Cell
4. Working of Conventional Solar Cell
5. Disadvantages
6. Infrared solar plastic cell
7. Construction
8. Working
9. Advantages
10. Disadvantages
11. Comparison
12. Applications
13. Conclusion

3. Introduction
• The plastic solar cells uses nanotechnology and contains the
first solar cells able to harness the sun's invisible, infrared rays.
• Plastic solar cells could one day become five more times more
efficient than current solar cell technology.
• The working of this type of solar cells is same as that of
conventional solar cells but these solar cells are of small
size and harness all the rays from sun's radiation.
• Because of their small size and light weight, they exhibit
unusual and interesting properties.

4. Why use solar cells?
• Low maintenance
• Easy installation
• Non polluting
• Renewable and sustainable power
• Convenient and flexible sources of power

5. Conventional Solar Cell

6. Working of Conventional Solar Cell
• Basically a solar cell is made up of silicon
based layer called PV cells in which it absorbs
heat from the sun and produces energy.
• This energy from the sun excites the electrons
to flow freely between the cells and this
produces current and is absorbed by the
conductor around the cells.

7. Disadvantages
• In conventional solar cell it is observed that
only 35% of the suns total energy is being used
• The conventional solar cells are not so
favorable on cloudy days
• In order to overcome these disadvantages we
use INFRARED PLASTIC SOLAR CELL

8. Infrared Solar Plastic Cell
• Infrared plastic solar cell can turn the suns
power into electrical energy even on a cloudy
day
• The plastic material uses nanotechnology and
contains the 1stgeneration solar cells that can
harness the sun’s invisible infrared rays
nano particles called quantum dots are
combined with a polymer to make the plastic
that can detect energy in the infrared

9. • It uses specially designed nano particles
called quantum dots
• The quantum dots with a polymer to make
the plastic that can detect energy in the
infrared.

10. Construction
• The plastic solar cell created by Berkeley
research group is actually a hybrid,
comprised of tiny Nano-rods dispersed in
an organic polymer or plastic.

11. • The length of the
nanorods may be
approximately
60nanometers
• Nanorods are made of
cadmium
selenide,blended with
P3HT(poly-
3hexylthiophene)
• fig

12. • The heart of a solar cell is a 200nm thick film
• This layer of around 200 nanometers thickness
is sandwiched between electrodes and can
produce at present about 0.7 volts
• The electrodes are coated with aluminum

13. Working
• Nanorods in the plastic solar cell acts like wires when they
absorb light of specific wavelength they generate an
electron and an electron hole vacancy in the rod that moves
around just like an electron
• This electron travels the length of rod until it is collected
by aluminium electrode
• The hole is transferred to the plastic which is known as a
hole carrier and conveyed to the electrode creating current

14. Advantages
• They are considered to be 30% more efficient
when compared to conventional solar cells.
• Traditional solar cells are bulky panels. This
is very compact.
• Flexible, roller processed solar cells have the
potential to turn the sun’s power into a clean,
green, consistent source of energy.

15. Disadvantages
• It is not cost effective
• Shorter life span when continuously exposed
to sun light
• Requires higher maintenance
• Constant monitoring

16. Comparison
PV CELLS
• Made of some special material
called semiconductors
• Expensive because of
manufacturing process
• Requires large space, Efficiency is
less
• It won’t work under cloudy days
• It can’t harness the sun’s invisible
infrared rays
IR PLASTIC SOLAR CELL
• Constructed using Nano-
technology
• Cost is less because less material
is used
• Compact and require less space,
Efficiency is more
• work under cloudy days
• It can harness the sun’s invisible
infrared rays

17. Applications
• A hydrogen powered car painted with the
film could potentially convert energy into
electricity to continually recharge the car’s
battery.
• Any chip coated in the material could power
cell phone or other wireless devices.
• Development of a super thin disposable solar
panel poster

18. Conclusion
• Plastic solar cells help in exploiting the
infrared radiation. More effective when
compared to conventional solar cells.
• They can even work on cloudy days.
• Though at present cost is a major drawback, it
can be solved in the near future.

19. References
• Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties and
Applications : Edelstein, A. S., Cammarata, R. C.,
Eds.; Institute of Physics Publishing: Bristol and
Philadelphia, 1996.
• The Coming Era of Nanotechnology; 1987.
Drexler, K. Eric, Doubleday; New York
• Conjugated Polymer-Based Organic Solar
Cells:Serap Gunes, Helmut Neugebauer, and
Niyazi Serdar Sariciftci, Chem. Rev. 2007, 107,
1324-1338

20. THANK YOU