Thin-film solar cell is a new type of photovoltaic device to alleviate the energy crisis. It is not only a high-efficiency energy product, but also a new type of building material, which is easier to perfectly integrate with buildings. Thin-film solar cells can be manufactured using cheap ceramics, graphite, metal sheets and other materials as substrates. The thickness of the film that can generate voltage is only a few μm, and the current conversion efficiency can reach up to 13%.

In addition to being flat, thin-film solar cells can be made into non-planar structures because of their flexibility. They can be used in a wide range of applications. They can be combined with buildings or become part of buildings.

How Thin Film Solar Cells Work

Thin-film solar cell modules are composed of glass substrates, metal layers, transparent conductive layers, electrical functional boxes, adhesive materials, semiconductor layers, etc. In a chemical battery, the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy is the result of spontaneous chemical reactions such as oxidation and reduction inside the battery, which are carried out on the two electrodes respectively.

The negative electrode active material is composed of reducing agents with relatively negative potential and stable in the electrolyte, such as active metals such as zinc, cadmium, and lead, and hydrogen or hydrocarbons. The positive electrode active material is composed of oxidants with positive potential and stable in the electrolyte, such as metal oxides such as manganese dioxide, lead dioxide, nickel oxide, oxygen or air, halogens and their salts, oxyacids and their salts, etc. .

Electrolyte is a material with good ion conductivity, such as acid, alkali, salt aqueous solution, organic or inorganic non-aqueous solution, molten salt or solid electrolyte, etc.

When the external circuit is disconnected, although there is a potential difference (open circuit voltage) between the two poles, there is no current, and the chemical energy stored in the battery is not converted into electrical energy. When the external circuit is closed, current flows through the external circuit due to the potential difference between the two electrodes. At the same time, inside the battery, since there are no free electrons in the electrolyte, the transfer of charges must be accompanied by oxidation or reduction reactions at the interface between the two-pole active material and the electrolyte, as well as the material migration of reactants and reaction products.

The transfer of charges in the electrolyte is also accomplished by the migration of ions. Therefore, the normal charge transfer and material transfer process inside the battery is a necessary condition to ensure the normal output of electric energy.

Advantages of Thin Film Solar Cells

Thin-film solar cells have excellent heat and humidity resistance and severe cold resistance, and their wide-span environmental adaptability makes them well received and favored by customers in various regions around the world. Whether it is the cold and dry European high latitudes or the hot and humid equatorial regions, there are countless projects for large-scale successful application of thin-film solar cells, and can guarantee an outdoor service life of more than 20 years.