University of Queensland researchers have made a breakthrough on next-generation solar technology that could potentially turn any flat surface into a solar generator.

The team, led by Professor Lianzhou Wang, have been working on harnessing the power of "quantum dots" - tiny particles that can pass electrons to each other and generate electrical current.

They've been able to suspend the dots in a material that can be 3D-printed and applied to a surface, turning it into an instant solar cell.

UQ researchers have set a world record for the energy they can obtain from a material filled with quantum dots acting as a solar cell. Credit:University of Queensland

"The new class of quantum dots the university has developed are flexible and printable," Professor Wang said.