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Title: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation in moist environments: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation

Abstract

Debonding of photovoltaic (PV) encapsulation in moist environments is frequently reported but presently not well understood or quantified. Temperature cycling, moisture, and mechanical loads often cause loss of encapsulation adhesion and interfacial debonding, initially facilitating back-reflectance and reduced electrical current, but ultimately leading to internal corrosion and loss of module functionality. To investigate the effects of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on the kinetics of encapsulation debonding, we developed a mechanics-based technique to measure encapsulation debond energy and debond growth rates in a chamber of controlled environment. The debond energy decreased from 2.15 to 1.75 kJ m-2 in poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and from 0.67 to 0.52 kJ m-2 in polyvinyl butyral when T increased from 25 to 50 degrees C and 20 to 40 degrees C, respectively. The debond growth rates of EVA increased up to 1000-fold with small increases of T (10 degrees C) and RH (15%). To elucidate the mechanisms of environmental debonding, we developed a fracture-kinetics model, where the viscoelastic relaxation processes at the debonding-tip are used to predict debond growth. The model and techniques constitute the fundamental basis for developing accelerated aging tests and long-term reliability predictions for PV encapsulation.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). National Center for Photovoltaics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1579796
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1320380
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5J00-67051
Journal ID: ISSN 1062-7995
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0004946; AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Progress in Photovoltaics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 24; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1062-7995
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; encapsulation debonding; interfacial adhesion; moisture; delamination; durability; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Novoa, Fernando D., Miller, David C., and Dauskardt, Reinhold H. Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation in moist environments: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1002/pip.2657.
Novoa, Fernando D., Miller, David C., & Dauskardt, Reinhold H. Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation in moist environments: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2657
Novoa, Fernando D., Miller, David C., and Dauskardt, Reinhold H. Mon . "Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation in moist environments: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2657. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1579796.
@article{osti_1579796,
title = {Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation in moist environments: Adhesion and debonding kinetics of photovoltaic encapsulation},
author = {Novoa, Fernando D. and Miller, David C. and Dauskardt, Reinhold H.},
abstractNote = {Debonding of photovoltaic (PV) encapsulation in moist environments is frequently reported but presently not well understood or quantified. Temperature cycling, moisture, and mechanical loads often cause loss of encapsulation adhesion and interfacial debonding, initially facilitating back-reflectance and reduced electrical current, but ultimately leading to internal corrosion and loss of module functionality. To investigate the effects of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on the kinetics of encapsulation debonding, we developed a mechanics-based technique to measure encapsulation debond energy and debond growth rates in a chamber of controlled environment. The debond energy decreased from 2.15 to 1.75 kJ m-2 in poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and from 0.67 to 0.52 kJ m-2 in polyvinyl butyral when T increased from 25 to 50 degrees C and 20 to 40 degrees C, respectively. The debond growth rates of EVA increased up to 1000-fold with small increases of T (10 degrees C) and RH (15%). To elucidate the mechanisms of environmental debonding, we developed a fracture-kinetics model, where the viscoelastic relaxation processes at the debonding-tip are used to predict debond growth. The model and techniques constitute the fundamental basis for developing accelerated aging tests and long-term reliability predictions for PV encapsulation.},
doi = {10.1002/pip.2657},
journal = {Progress in Photovoltaics},
number = 2,
volume = 24,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

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