This project will focus on inorganic nanocrystal ink-based manufacturing of thin film, light-weight and mechanically flexible photovoltaic devices. There has been tremendous effort focused on developing organic materials for these applications, but organics still suffer from low efficiencies and very poor stability, especially under sunlight. Inorganic inks offer a solution to these problems, but their development has not been nearly as extensive. The key advantage of inorganic nanocrystal inks is that thin films of proven inorganic semiconductors can be deposited with the potential for high device efficiency and stable performance of long time periods.
This new materials system could impact the solar cell industry, enabling significant reduction in manufacturing cost compared to standard high temperature vacuum processes that are used now. There are few, if any, technology solutions for portable and integrated solar cells nor are there photovoltaic devices that can be wrapped in a seamless way. This technology has the potential to create a new low-cost solar cell technology that can be employed on various substrates, including plastics and fabrics. Providing a low-cost photovoltaic device that could be integrated into other products has applications in the aerospace and automotive industries as well as for military purposes.
Intellectual Merit: The I-Corps project on printed photovoltacis lead to key insights into current market facing needs for research and development in the global PV ecosystem. A core part of this project was focused on intense customer discovery qualitative research. Core discoveries arising from this research include: efficiency needs for printed PV in industry, the current state of the industry, cost models of relevance to technology adoption in the marketplace and needed research and development thrusts to advance the state of the art in thin-film development. Broader Impact: Within the US PV industry there are currently gaps in the ability to domestically produce thin film cells which are commercially viable. Early reseach and commercial outreach conducted as a part of this I-Corps project hold the promise of re-igniting US manufacturing capabilities in PV. Through interface with industry partners, the PI team was able to provide valuable insights to the PV space overall. Summary of Activity: The I-Corps team participating in this program conducted more than 116 primary research interviews targeted at the overall PV space. in the course of developing these interviews the team engaged in multiple pivots from an overall business perspective. Currently, the entrepreneurial lead of the PI team is exploring the development of a direct spin out from the University of Texas focused on thin film PV device design and development.
