Corrosion of novel reactive silver ink and commercial silver-based metallizations in diluted acetic acid

Jeffries, April M.; Nietzold, Tara; Schelhas, Laura T.; Bertoni, Mariana I.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2020.110900

Corrosion of novel reactive silver ink and commercial silver-based metallizations in diluted acetic acid

Journal Article · Wed Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2020.110900· OSTI ID:1848692

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]

Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States). School of Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy; Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States). School of Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States). School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

Silver-based metallizations in photovoltaic modules are susceptible to corrosion by acetic acid generated in ethylene vinyl acetate encapsulated modules, resulting in power losses over time. Here, three silver-based metallizations are exposed to diluted acetic acid, in concentrations representative of that found in field-exposed modules. Compositional, morphological, and structural changes of the metallizations are studied over 3000 h of exposure to diluted acetic acid using Raman spectroscopy mapping, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The three metallizations studied are: 1) a commercial high-temperature fire-through Ag paste, commonly used for Si diffused junction solar cells; 2) a commercial low-temperature paste normally used for silicon heterojunction cells; and 3) a novel low-temperature reactive silver ink shown to be suitable for photovoltaic applications. We find distinct corrosion rates for the high-temperature silver paste and reactive silver ink in the presence of diluted acetic acid. However, the low-temperature silver paste appears to be more corrosion resistant, likely due to a polymer layer that protects the silver particles.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515; EE0008166

OSTI ID:: 1848692

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1778337

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Journal Name: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells Journal Issue: C Vol. 223; ISSN 0927-0248

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (31)

Raman signature modification induced by copper nanoparticles in silicate glass Colomban, Philippe; Schreiber, Henry D. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, Vol. 36, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.1379	journal	January 2005
Suppression of fluorescence in raman spectroscopy of chromophore-containing polymer samples Lu, Ping; Ding, Jianfu; Cheng, Rongshi Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol. 15, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.1994.030151105	journal	November 1994
Ag requirements for silicon wafer-based solar cells: Ag requirements silicon cells Green, Martin A. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 19, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.1125	journal	July 2011
Evaluating and predicting molecular mechanisms of adhesive degradation during field and accelerated aging of photovoltaic modules Tracy, Jared; D'hooge, Dagmar R.; Bosco, Nick Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 26, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3045	journal	July 2018
Impact of solvent selection and temperature on porosity and resistance of printed self-reducing silver inks: Porosity and resistance of printed self-reducing silver inks Lefky, Christopher; Mamidanna, Avinash; Huang, Yiwen physica status solidi (a), Vol. 213, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.201600150	journal	June 2016
Adhesion of reactive silver inks on indium tin oxide Mamidanna, Avinash; Jeffries, April; Bertoni, Mariana Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 54, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-3017-6	journal	October 2018
A Raman spectroscopic investigation of the electropolymerization of phenol on silver electrodes Fleischmann, M.; Hill, I. R.; Mengoli, G. Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 28, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(83)85214-1	journal	November 1983
Encapsulation of PV modules using ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer as a pottant: A critical review Czanderna, A. W.; Pern, F. J. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 43, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0927-0248(95)00150-6	journal	September 1996
Time-lapse synchrotron X-ray diffraction to monitor conservation coatings for heritage lead in atmospheres polluted with oak-emitted volatile organic compounds Grayburn, Rosie; Dowsett, Mark; De Keersmaecker, Michel Corrosion Science, Vol. 82 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2014.01.027	journal	May 2014
Silver Grid Finger Corrosion on Snail Track affected PV Modules – Investigation on Degradation Products and Mechanisms Duerr, Ines; Bierbaum, Joerg; Metzger, Jens Energy Procedia, Vol. 98 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2016.10.083	journal	November 2016
A reliability study of silicon heterojunction photovoltaic modules exposed to damp heat testing Park, Hyeongsik; Jeong, JaeSeong; Shin, Eungu Microelectronic Engineering, Vol. 216 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2019.111081	journal	August 2019
Transport of water and gases through EVA/PVC blend films—permeation and DSC investigations Marais, S.; Bureau, E.; Gouanvé, F. Polymer Testing, Vol. 23, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2003.09.009	journal	June 2004
Acetic acid production and glass transition concerns with ethylene-vinyl acetate used in photovoltaic devices Kempe, Michael D.; Jorgensen, Gary J.; Terwilliger, Kent M. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 91, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2006.10.009	journal	February 2007
Non-destructive degradation analysis of encapsulants in PV modules by Raman Spectroscopy Peike, C.; Kaltenbach, T.; Weiß, K. -A. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 95, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2011.01.030	journal	July 2011
Origin of damp-heat induced cell degradation Peike, C.; Hoffmann, S.; Hülsmann, P. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 116 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.03.022	journal	September 2013
Polyolefin as PID-resistant encapsulant material in PV modules López-Escalante, M. C.; Caballero, Luis J.; Martín, F. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 144 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.10.009	journal	January 2016
A cost roadmap for silicon heterojunction solar cells Louwen, Atse; van Sark, Wilfried; Schropp, Ruud Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 147 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.12.026	journal	April 2016
Thermal Decomposition of Silver Acetate: Physico-Geometrical Kinetic Features and Formation of Silver Nanoparticles Nakano, Masayoshi; Fujiwara, Takayuki; Koga, Nobuyoshi The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Vol. 120, Issue 16 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02377	journal	April 2016
Phenyl acetate preparation from phenol and acetic acid: Reassessment of a common textbook misconception Hocking, M. B. Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 57, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1021/ed057p527	journal	July 1980
THE SYSTEM LEAD ACETATE, ACETIC ACID, WATER ¹ Tarbutton, Grady; Vosburgh, Warren C. Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 54, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01351a009	journal	December 1932
Reactive Silver Inks for Patterning High-Conductivity Features at Mild Temperatures Walker, S. Brett; Lewis, Jennifer A. Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 134, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja209267c	journal	January 2012
Correlation of Size and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Activity of Optical and Spectroscopic Properties for Silver Nanoparticles Seney, Caryn S.; Gutzman, Brittany M.; Goddard, Russell H. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Vol. 113, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1021/jp805698e	journal	December 2008
The formation mechanism for printed silver-contacts for silicon solar cells Fields, Jeremy D.; Ahmad, Md. Imteyaz; Pool, Vanessa L. Nature Communications, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11143	journal	April 2016
Pathways for solar photovoltaics Jean, Joel; Brown, Patrick R.; Jaffe, Robert L. Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 8, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1039/C4EE04073B	journal	January 2015
LXXI.—The solubility of silver acetate in acetic acid and of silver propionate in propionic acid Knox, Joseph; Will, Helen Reid J. Chem. Soc., Trans., Vol. 115, Issue 0 https://doi.org/10.1039/CT9191500853	journal	January 1919
Raman spectroscopy as a means for the identification of plattnerite (PbO2), of lead pigments and of their degradation products Burgio, Lucia; Clark, Robin J. H.; Firth, Steven The Analyst, Vol. 126, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1039/b008302j	journal	January 2001
GSAS-II : the genesis of a modern open-source all purpose crystallography software package Toby, Brian H.; Von Dreele, Robert B. Journal of Applied Crystallography, Vol. 46, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1107/S0021889813003531	journal	March 2013
Investigation of Acetic Acid Corrosion Impact on Printed Solar Cell Contacts Kraft, Achim; Labusch, Lutz; Ensslen, Tobias IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 5, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2395146	journal	May 2015
Low-Temperature Drop-on-Demand Reactive Silver Inks for Solar Cell Front-Grid Metallization Jeffries, April M.; Mamidanna, Avinash; Ding, Laura IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621351	journal	January 2017
Damp Heat Induced Degradation of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells With Cu-Plated Contacts Karas, Joseph; Sinha, Archana; Buddha, Viswa Sai Pavan IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2941693	journal	January 2020
Corrosion Mechanisms for Silver Exposed to the Atmosphere Graedel, T. E. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 139, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2221162	journal	January 1992

Similar Records

Investigation of Reactive Silver Ink Formula for Reduced Silver Consumption in Silicon Heterojunction Metallization

Journal Article · Thu Feb 23 19:00:00 EST 2023 · ACS Applied Energy Materials · OSTI ID:2397024

Reactive silver inks: a path to solar cells with 82% less silver

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 19:00:00 EST 2023 · Energy & Environmental Science · OSTI ID:2578317

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
Cell degradation
Corrosion pathways
Energy & Fuels
Materials Science
Metallization
Physics
Silver reactive inks

Corrosion of novel reactive silver ink and commercial silver-based metallizations in diluted acetic acid

Citation Formats

References (31)

Similar Records

Related Subjects