To understand how solar cells heal themselves, look no
further than the nearest tree leaf or the back of your hand.
The “branching” vascular channels that circulate
life-sustaining nutrients throughout leaves and hands serve as the inspiration
for solar cells that can restore themselves efficiently and inexpensively.
In a new paper, North Carolina State University researchers
Orlin Velev and Hyung-Jun Koo show that creating solar cell devices with
channels that mimic organic vascular systems can effectively reinvigorate solar
cells whose performance deteriorates due to degradation by the sun’s
ultraviolet rays. Solar cells that are based on organic systems hold the
potential to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than
silicon-based solar cells, the current industry standard.