July 31, 2015 | By Jaclyn Brandt

Although solar panels have become more streamlined over the last few decades, they still have numerous flaws -- including their design and shape.

One of the research team's solar textiles. Credit: UW

Research at universities is the perfect breeding ground for innovation, but also bringing minds from all different disciplines together. At the University of Wisconsin - Madison, the energy team has partnered with a designer to bring a new look to solar panels. Marianne Fairbanks, assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology's design studies program also co-founded Noon Solar, a Chicago-based company that made solar-charging handbags.

"I found myself on a campus full of brilliant people of all disciplines so I just googled 'solar research UW–Madison,'" Fairbanks said in a statement.

Fairbanks teamed up with Trisha Andrews, an assistant professor of chemistry at UW, who is researching solar cells. According to UW, her latest research is developing an organic, dye-based solar cell that can be deposited on paper. However, Fairbanks' art background got the two working on a fabric-based solar cells.

"The idea of building solar cells on fabric is potentially transformative," Andrew said. "If we take this technology to grow devices on material then we could talk wearable technology, as well as solar curtains, solar umbrellas, solar tents, or applications for the military."

Andrews and Fairbanks are experimenting with different fabrics, and covering those with a polymer that can increase the fabric's conductivity.

"Once fully coated, the fabric will serve as the bottom electrode, and a base layer on which to build the rest of the solar cell," the university said in a statement.

Using textiles for solar is not a new idea, but Andrews said none of them began their research with the end result -- namely, commercial application -- in mind.

"There's no one out there, there's no designer working with a device person trying to do this -- that's us -- and that's what really excites me about this project even today," said Andrew.

The team received a grant from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) to continue their research. The latest experiment has them using vapor phase chemistry to coat different fabric weave types and structures with a polymer that increases its conductivity.

"Once the weave is at least ten times more conductive than it was before coating, the fabric will act as the bottom electrode on which Zhang will deposit two different dyes and a top electrode, the contact between the four deposits making up a complete and functional solar cell," UW said.

A second project has the team making their own fabric -- by using one spool of thread from each component and waving them together, making cross-sections, and giving the team more control over the material.

"I thought that was brilliant," Andrew said. "I never would've thought of that. If we could literally weave together a solar cell: mind blowing. We're really integrating each step of the process, on the textile side, on the device side."

The team hopes to have a functioning prototype one year from now to show how their different disciplines can be combined to make energy savings beautiful and functional at the same time.

"Science and art aren't too different," Fairbanks explained of the project. "We're all experimenting. To get to do it together is a dream come true."

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http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/new-research-may-change-design-solar-panels-forever