Saturday, 26 February 2011

Researchers develop stretchable solar cells

Researchers in the US are a step closer to creating electronic 'super skin' that can detect everything from touch to certain chemicals.

Zhenan Bao and her team from Stanford University have already developed flexible sensors that are ultra sensitive to pressure and biological molecules.

Now they have created stretchable solar cells that can generate their own electricity to power these sensors.

These cells can be stretched up to 30 per cent beyond their original length, snapping back into shape without any loss of power or damage.

The ultimate aim is to create artificial skin that could have uses in robotics, prosthetics and medical research.

"With artificial skin, we can basically incorporate any function we desire," Ms Bao explained.

She said that the organic transistors at the heart of the super skin can be coated in specific molecules, allowing the sensors to detect different elements.

"Depending on what kind of material we put on the sensors and how we modify the semiconducting material in the transistor, we can adjust the sensors to sense chemicals or biological material," she remarked.

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