Stanford University researchers created the first flexible, reusable decal-like solar panels that can attach to almost any surface.

The Thin-Film Solar Cells (TFSCs) can be affixed to paper, plastic and glass without direct fabrication. The adhesive comes off with some room-temperature water.

The solar cells are generally made with rigid silicon and glass structures to maintain their form, according to a paper by lead investigator Chi Hwan Lee, a mechanical engineering doctoral candidate, and the study's contributors in the Dec. 20 issue of Scientific Reports.

While manufacturers have produced TFSCs on paper, textiles and rubber in the past, the strips were easily deformed in handling. By fabricating "peel-and-stick" solar cells, the Stanford scientists have broadened the thin-film photovoltaic cells' uses. The study's authors suggest using the solar cells with portable power supplies, electronic smart clothing and aerospace systems.

"Since the peel-and-stick process does not require any fabrication on the final target substrate, it circumvents all the fabrication challenges associated with these nonconventional substrates discussed above," Lee and his fellow researchers wrote.

The ultra-durable solar panels can also be used on a curved surface such as an undulating building roof, helmet or portable device. This process heavily reduces the cost and complications of production. The researchers also believe the peel-and-stick technology can be applied to other thin-film electronics including circuits, transistors and LCDs.

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Flickr, Jeda Villa Bali; Graphic courtesy of Scientific Reports