Crafting a wearable solar cell device and the challenges of its integrity developments

Abstract

The exponential development of solar cells or photovoltaic (PV) devices is currently focused on the ways to enhance their power conversion efficiency (PCE), suppress the price of solar cell devices and their integration into wearable devices. The increasing demand for wearable solar cell devices compels researchers and industries to develop conventional solar cells with the features of lightweight, flexibility, low toxicity, robustness against deformation, stability, long lifetime, and high bio-degradability. In this review, we discuss in detail how to develop and transform conventional solar cells into wearable solar cell devices and present their integrity developments. It starts with a discussion on the recent technology of solar cell devices and the key role of transforming solar cells into wearable devices while maintaining their excellent performances. The industrial, environmental, and economic points of view are also explained together with plausible strategies for enhancing the feasibility of wearable solar cell devices. We believe that the discussion and perspectives provided in this review can not only assist scientists in any materials science discipline but can also inform industry-based stakeholders of the latest advances in wearable solar cell devices.