The sandpaper-like solar battery is based upon monograin-powder innovation developed by TalTech researchers, where the solar battery consists of countless little crystals, with a size of 50 micrometers, embedded into a polymer in one constant layer. Credit: The photovoltaic products laboratory at TalTech
Katriin Kristmann, a doctoral student in chemical and materials science at TalTech (Tallinn University of Technology), began research aimed at establishing innovation for the production of monograin layer solar cells on the Moon.
The outcomes of the research activity are prepared to be used to supply electricity to future lunar outposts of the European Space Agency (ESA) and its global partners. The lunar outpost is planned to be developed on the South Pole of the Moon in the next decades.
The sandpaper-like solar cell is based upon monograin-powder innovation established by TalTech researchers, where the solar cell consists of thousands of small crystals, with a diameter of 50 micrometers, embedded into a polymer in one constant layer. The microcrystals soak up sunshine. To finish the solar cell these microcrystals are coated with a buffer and window layers. In this way, each crystal works as a small specific solar cell and creates electricity. Such kind of solar batteries have numerous benefits, such as the light-weight solar panel innovation combining the benefits of highly efficient mono-crystalline product with low expense roll-to-roll panel production, enabling the manufacture of flexible, light-weight, and cost-efficient photovoltaic panels to cover huge areas with minimum expense. In principle, there is no restriction on the solar modules shapes and size.
The microcrystals utilized in the monograin layer solar battery might be produced from elements discovered in the soil or regolith of the Moon.
The potential material for microcrystals would be pyrite FeS2, or in other words fools gold. Its components, iron, and sulfur, are rather abundant in the lunar regolith, and the theoretical efficiency of pyrite solar cell reaches 25%.
“TalTech researchers have actually been working on monograin layer solar cell technology for terrestrial applications for a number of years currently. The core development is the special light absorbing layer made from the single-crystalline powder, which contains low-priced and abundant components. Solar battery based on this technology will bring innovation to the building-integrated solar energy field.” stated Marit Kauk-Kuusik head of the photovoltaic materials laboratory at TalTech.
“Our first contacts with ESA were realized around six years back, when they discovered the monograin layer solar cell innovation promising for space application, and contacted us. The aim of the very first collaboration task was to check innovation suitability, and endurance to a hostile space environment; our technology passed these tests.
“To have your own Moon program is incredibly resource intensive, and too expensive for a small country like Estonia, because of that it is smart to team up with other players in the field. As we are the member of the European Space Agency, it is rational to support them with our concepts and knowledge,” included Dr. Raadik.
“There is a strong drive at the minute, from international area agencies consisting of ESA and from private business, to prepare a go back to the lunar surface, for long period stays. To make future activities possible, it is very important to begin developing the innovations which will allow us to build and operate long term facilities. And a sustainable way of doing it, is to use local resources to produce what we need. This research activity with TalTech is of particular interest to us, as it is not only very ingenious, however it also develops on knowledge which has matured over a number of years at TalTech. It is also really nice to see increasingly more technologies originating from Estonia, a recent ESA Member State.” said PhD student co-supervisor Dr. Advenit Makaya from ESA.
“We are delighted to see, that Estonian subscription in the European Space Agency brings useful outcomes. It has opened the doors for PhD level scientists, and doctoral students, likewise for master level trainees who can work in ESA laboratories, and be part of the ESA science community.
Project duration is planned to last 4 years, throughout that time TalTech researchers can utilize the ESA science and innovation labs in the Netherlands for research study, and team up with the worlds leading engineers and researchers.
The sandpaper-like solar cell is based on monograin-powder technology established by TalTech scientists, where the solar cell consists of thousands of small crystals, with a diameter of 50 micrometers, embedded into a polymer in one continuous layer. To finish the solar cell these microcrystals are coated with a buffer and window layers. Such kind of solar cells have many advantages, such as the lightweight solar panel innovation combining the advantages of highly efficient mono-crystalline material with low expense roll-to-roll panel production, allowing the manufacture of versatile, light-weight, and cost-effective solar panels to cover huge locations with minimum cost.”TalTech researchers have actually been working on monograin layer solar cell innovation for terrestrial applications for a couple of decades already.”Our very first contacts with ESA were understood around six years back, when they found the monograin layer solar cell innovation assuring for space application, and called us.
