Seminar on

Infrared Plastic Solar Cell

Presented by
Aniket A Mohite
Under the Guidance of

Prof. R.S.Shinde

Department Of Electrical Engineering

INTRODUCTION

Solar energy plays a major role in present

days.
It is renewable source of energy.
This presentation is about the new type of
solar cell.
 It is 5 times more efficient than
conventional solar cells.
 What Is a Solar Cell ?
 Solar cells are also called photovoltaic (PV) cells.
 Photo meaning "light" and voltaic meaning "electricity“.
 It generate electricity directly from visible light by means of
the photovoltaic effect.
 A group of PV cells connected electrically and placed into
a frame is called Solar Panel, which can then be grouped
into larger groups of modules to form a solar array.
 How it Works ?

• These are photovoltaic (PV) cells based on

crystalline silicon.

• It absorbs visible sunlight and transferred to the

semiconductor material.

• This energy knocks electrons to flow freely,

which results current.

• Current is drawn from the metal contacts in PV

cell.
Division of sunlight
 INFRARED PLASTIC SOLAR
CELL
• A plastic solar cell can turn the suns power into electric
energy even on a cloudy day.

• The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the

1st generation 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
• 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.

QUANTUM DOT LAYER

• This plastic material can harness the sun’s
invisible infrared rays.
• These plastic solar cells can be taken
everywhere.
 Working Of a Plastic Solar Cell
• The solar cell created is actually a hybrid, comprised of
tiny nanorods dispersed in an organic polymer or
plastic.
• Nanorods are made of cadmium selenide.
• This layer of around 200 nanometers thickness is
sandwiched between electrodes.
• The electrodes are coated with aluminum
•When nanorods absorb light they generate an electron and
an electron hole.

•Electron is collected by alluminium electrode.

•The hole is transferred to the plastic and conveyed to the

electrode, creating a current.

•Aluminium coating acts as the back electrode .

IMPROVEMENTS

Betterlight collection and concentration

employed in the solar cells.

Inplastic cells nano rods are closely packed

and transfer their electrons more directly to
the electrolyte.

They also hope to tune the nano rods to

absorb different colors to span the spectrum
of sun light.
 Comparison :
PV CELLS NANO- SOLAR CELLS
 Made of some special  Constructed using
Nanotechnology
material called
 Cost is less because less
semiconductors. material is used
 Expensive because of  Compact and require less
manufacturing process space,Efficiency is more
 Nano- solar cell that can
 Requires large space, turn the suns power into
Efficiency is less electricity energy even on a
 It won’t work under cloudy cloudy days.
 It contains the 2nd
conditioned
generation solar cell that
 It can’t harness the sun’s can harness the sun’s
invisible infrared rays invisible infrared rays.
 ADVANTAGES

 These are considered to be 30% more efficient.

 Their efficiency is same even on cloudy days.

 These are very compact and more practical in

application.

 These cells avoids effects like pollution.

 Fabrication is easy.
LIMITATIONS

They are very costly.

Relativelyshorter life span when continuously

exposed to sunlight.

It
requires higher maintenance and constant
monitoring.
Applications
 Light weight and flexible plastic solar cell panted on
back of it could power portable
 Electronics equipments like laptops and pocket
calculator, etc.
 Any chip coated in the material could power cell phone
or other wireless devices.
A hydrogen powered car painted with the film could
potentially convert energy into electricity to continually
recharge the car’s battery.
 Development of a super thin disposable solar panel
poster
 Any chip coated in the material could power cell phone
or other wireless devices.
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.