Japanese scientists have made progress in developing flexible solar panels that could be used in wearable devices in the future.
Experts from Japan’s RIKEN Research Institute have been working on the creation of flexible solar cells. According to the researchers, the solar cells will resemble a plastic bag that can be stretched significantly.
They used a compound called ION E to enhance the flexibility of the solar cells. This compound was added to the electrode layer of the solar cell, which increased its flexibility without affecting its electricity generation capabilities.
The research team discovered that this method maintained 95% of the energy generation capacity.
The scientists also stated that they are planning to develop larger flexible solar cells. If successful, this could lead to the creation of advanced wearable devices that could be powered by solar energy.
Such devices would no longer require recharging, or would only need minimal charging, helping reduce electricity consumption.
The results of this research have been published in the journal Nature Communications.
