A plastic solar cell—a type of flexible solar cell made with polymers—is a relatively new design that currently suffers from a lack of efficiency compared to its major competitors, conventional cells made of silicon. To increase performance, scientists are looking for new materials that will enhance the flow of electricity through the solar cell. Several groups expected to achieve good results by redesigning pliant polymers of plastic into orderly, silicon-like crystals, but the flow of electricity did not improve. Read more »