“Freely Stretchable” KAIST Develops High-Performance Stretchable Solar Cells

A high-performance stretchable solar cell that can freely stretch has been developed in Korea.

KAIST announced on the 26th that Professor Beomjun Kim's research team from the Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering succeeded in implementing stretchable organic solar cells that combine both stretchability and high electrical performance.

Schematic illustration of the chemical structure of the newly developed conductive polymer and the performance of the stretchable organic solar cell using the material. Provided by KAIST

Conventional solar cells are essential devices that supply power to electronic devices, but they are difficult to make stretchable, limiting their implementation in wearable devices.

On the other hand, organic solar cells are electronic devices with a photoactive layer made of organic materials that generate electricity from light, making them lighter and more flexible than conventional inorganic material-based solar cells, which is advantageous for use in wearable electronics.

In particular, Professor Beomjun Kim's research team chemically bonded and connected a highly stretchable polymer that stretches like rubber to a conductive polymer with high electrical properties, developing a new type of conductive polymer that simultaneously possesses high electrical performance and mechanical stretchability.

The developed polymer enabled the implementation of organic solar cells with a world-class photoelectric conversion efficiency of 19%, while exhibiting more than 10 times higher stretchability compared to conventional devices.

Through this, the research team realized the world's highest-performance stretchable solar cell that operates even when stretched over 40%, demonstrating the potential for wearable solar cell applications.

(From left) Professor Beomjun Kim, Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering, KAIST; Dr. Jinwoo Lee, Institute for Applied Science, KAIST; Master's student Heunggu Lee, Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering, KAIST. Courtesy of KAIST

Professor Beomjun Kim emphasized, "The high-performance stretchable solar cell is the result of developing a new concept of polymer material," adding, "This technology can be utilized as a fundamental technology applicable to various electronic devices requiring free form and stretchability."

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, with researchers Jinwoo Lee and Heunggu Lee from KAIST participating as co-first authors, and was jointly conducted by Professor Taeksu Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Sheng Li's team from the Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering.

The research results (paper) were published in the December 1 issue of the international journal Joule.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.