Materials
graphene could enable a step change in the overall effectiveness of thin film solar cell technology – improving both the conversion efficiency and the cell durability. This would mean that the industry could be provided with photovoltaic devices delivering higher performance at a competitive point.” But it will not be plain sailing to
achieve this. “There is quite a lot of research going on in graphene for photovoltaic applications and integration of graphene inside solar cells,” Dr Sepioni says, “but there are a few problems. First of all the fact that costs to produce graphene are still high and, I would say from a technical point of view, the concern is the efficiency of the solar cells. They still can’t compete with the current ones (crystalline silicon construction). So that is a big question.” The project, says Dr Sepioni, will
explore different sources of grapheme and different kinds of deposition inside the solar cell. “I would say we have quite a strong plan and we hope it is going to work.”
Solar cell energy conversion efficiencies for commercially available
cells are around 20%, says Dr Sepioni. “It would be really optimistic to achieve that number because 20% is really what the current state-of-the-art is, but we are aiming to approach that number.” Graphene has been the most studied
material since 2004, she says and “every day we find new published works saying we have found a new effect and graphene can be used for this and can be used for that. But there is a huge gap between the basic research and the commercialisation aspects. So we still cannot really buy any graphene-based products, although I have to say that some competitors have started commercialising some products.” She continues: “The other thing is
graphene is really good as a conductor and as a transparent layer so there were a lot of expectations in terms of replacing silicon technology and also just having a big role in technology in general. But, again, the costs in producing these small samples are huge. Probably I see more promise in what graphene will do in other fields like composites, batteries, replacing amorphous carbon, carbon fibre in structural projects more than in electronic devices.” l
The key to
solar cell design lies in charge collection and graphene could have a major part to play in this.
Nigel Salter, managing director, 2-DTech.
E
The Commercial Graphene Show Europe 2015 “This is the perfect
very industry must start somewhere, and every industry needs to be pushed forward. And that is where The Commercial Graphene Show Europe 2015, which will take place at Manchester Central Convention Complex, UK, between the 16th-17th April 2015, comes in. The graphene industry’s
challenge lies with scaling up production and gaining pace in the mainstream market, say organisers Terrapin. R&D catches up with production, networking creates collaboration and breakthroughs lead to commercialisation. The show will cover all aspects of grapheme’s potential – aerospace and defence, energy storage and batteries, electronics, printing and packaging, automotive, paints, coatings and barrier applications
22
www.engineerlive.com
opportunity for the entire graphene value chain to come together. There’s no event like it, and that’s what makes it unmissable.
“This is the place where
collaborations for industrial applications will be initiated and influenced, and the future of graphene will be strengthened. “Join us for this once-a-
year experience, and come away with answers for the sceptics and new relationships with those who are serious about business. Use The Commercial Graphene Show as your opportunity to take the graphene industry to the next level,” say the organisers. l
For more information, download the brochure now at
www.terrapinn.com/commercial-graphene
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