In response, the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) has led an international team of 23 experts from 12 countries to develop a unified testing protocol for flexible solar cells and panels. The initiative, published in Nature Energy, focuses on mechanical performance, providing consistent metrics for evaluation. "The protocol measures efficiency over 1,000 bending cycles at a voltage of 1%, setting a benchmark for mechanical resistance," explained Lluis F. Marsal, a URV researcher in electronic, electrical, and automatic engineering.
This comprehensive method also assesses environmental factors such as humidity and temperature and incorporates encapsulation techniques to mitigate degradation. The protocol ensures these devices can perform effectively and safely in diverse conditions, enabling their use in applications requiring both flexibility and durability.
The research effort was co-led by Kenjiro Fukuda of the RIKEN Center for Emerging Matter Science in Saitama, Japan, and Osbel Almora, a researcher at URV and administrator of Emerging-PV.org. Marsal, a pioneer in organic solar cell research and leader of the URV Nanoelectronics and Photonic Systems group, also played a critical role in the project.
This new testing protocol represents the first step toward bridging the gap between photovoltaics and flexible electronics. "The progress of these devices will demand new protocols for testing stabilization, torsion, and adhesion properties, ensuring next-generation flexible solar cells meet future demands," Marsal concluded.
Research Report:A bending test protocol for characterizing the mechanical performance of flexible photovoltaics
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Universitat Rovira i Virgili
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