Development, characterisation and integration of flexible solar modules as energy supply unit in a livMatS demonstrator
This project develops flexible and lightweight solar energy skins as energy supply for the livMatS demonstrators. They will consist of either flexible organic solar modules or flexible perovskite solar modules.
To meet the demands of the livMatS demonstrators, the modules should be flexible in shape and size for their seamless integration into specific device layouts. Moreover, they need to deliver electrical power also under low intensity indoor light. In the case of a required semi-transparency, organic semiconductors can be used that show very unique absorption properties. To ensure longevity and resilience in these systems, they will be compartmentalized to ensure that the solar module stays functional when individual compartments fail.
The project consists of two parts: in part one, existing technologies for flexible solar module fabrication will be improved in terms of transparency, low illumination performance, and resilience. This also includes the optimization of bendable electrodes and encapsulation materials. In part two, the use of SolStore-supercapacitators (SolarCap) will be investigated, in order to combine energy harvesting with storage functionalities. The SolarCap approach is currently under development in livMatS Area A but so far restricted to a low technology readiness level. In this project, full devices ready for application in the livMatS demonstrators will be developed and integrated.