Solar technology has added another feather to its hat. A team of researchers led by Xiaomei Jiang at the University of South Florida have created an inch-long solar array out of 20 solar cells. Unlike the conventional solar cells, these miniature cells are made of an organic polymer that has the same properties as silicon but can be dissolved and sprayed or printed upon any flexible surface like a car or uniform.

The research team designed these tiny solar cells as a part of an experiment which proved that the cells could power a tiny device called microeletromechanical system (MEMS) device built with carbon nanotubes, which could detect chemical leaks by measuring the electric charges produced when chemicals enter the nanotubes. The array could provide 7.8 volts current, about half of that needed for the device to work.

According to Jiang, by the next year the team would optimize the device to increase its voltage and then combine it with the solar array. These ultramodern tiny cells will surely have a wider application in the future and take the solar nanotechnology to the next level, but until then keep inventing something new.

Source: ENN