Specialty Fabrics Review
January 2010

METHODS FOR BONDING FLEXIBLE PV CELLS TO FABRIC

Architects and FTL Solar co-founders Todd Dalland and Robert Lerner explain some of the innovative methods they're exploring for bonding thin-film flexible photovoltaic (PV) cells to fabric:

Lamination. Adhesives activated by light, heat, moisture, temperature, pressure?or a combination for a period of time create the bond. This process uses a flat-bed vacuum laminator or a roll-to-roll laminator.

Painting. A four-coat PV paint (comprising an undercoat, a layer of dye-sensitized solar cells, a layer of electrolyte or titanium dioxide as white paint pigment and finally, a protective film) can be applied to materials.

Mechanical. Grommets and rope, Velcro®, flexible magnets, rivets, and staples can connect PV cells to textiles.

Weaving. Flexible PV fibers (zinc-oxide nanostructures grown on optical fibers and coated with dye-sensitized solar?cell materials) are being developed that can be woven into PV cloth.

About FTL Solar:

FTL Solar's unique patent-pending products are the first and only pre-fabricated, mass produced photovoltaic (PV) tensile structures in the world. FTL Solar's structures are innovative and in this new "Green" age, are an expression of practical function and form. FTL Solar structures integrate thin film PV with super strength fabric to create architecturally refined solar canopies, arrays and enclosures that turn sunlight into electricity. Additional information for FTL Solar can be found at www.ftlsolar.com.

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