Moisture ingress prediction in polyisobutylene-based edge seal with molecular sieve desiccant
Abstract
Often photovoltaic modules are constructed with materials that are sensitive to water. This is most often the case with thin film technologies, including perovskite cells, where the active layers are a few microns thick and can be sensitive to moisture, liquid water or both. When moisture or liquid water can ingress, a small amount of water can lead to corrosion and depending on the resulting reactions, a larger local detrimental effect is possible. To prevent moisture from contacting photovoltaic components, impermeable frontsheets and backsheets are used with a polyisobutylene (PIB)-based edge seal material around the perimeter. Here, we evaluate the ability of a PIB-based edge seal using a molecular sieve desiccant to keep moisture out for the expected module lifetime. Moisture ingress is evaluated using test coupons where the edge seal is placed between 2 pieces of glass, one of which has a metallic calcium film on it, and monitoring the moisture ingress distance as a function of time. We expose samples to different temperature and humidity conditions to create permeation models useful for extrapolation to field use. This extrapolation indicates that this PIB material is capable of keeping moisture out of a module for the desired lifetime.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Quanex IG Systems, Inc., Cambridge, OH (United States)
- First Solar, Inc., Perrysburg, OH (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (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:
- 1417731
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1405038
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5J00-68790
Journal ID: ISSN 1062-7995
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308; DE‐AC36‐08‐GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Progress in Photovoltaics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1062-7995
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; edge seal; permeability; moisture ingress; PIB; permeation
Citation Formats
Kempe, Michael D., Nobles, Dylan L., Postak, Lori, and Calderon, Jose Alonzo. Moisture ingress prediction in polyisobutylene-based edge seal with molecular sieve desiccant. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1002/pip.2947.
Kempe, Michael D., Nobles, Dylan L., Postak, Lori, & Calderon, Jose Alonzo. Moisture ingress prediction in polyisobutylene-based edge seal with molecular sieve desiccant. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2947
Kempe, Michael D., Nobles, Dylan L., Postak, Lori, and Calderon, Jose Alonzo. Thu .
"Moisture ingress prediction in polyisobutylene-based edge seal with molecular sieve desiccant". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2947. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1417731.
@article{osti_1417731,
title = {Moisture ingress prediction in polyisobutylene-based edge seal with molecular sieve desiccant},
author = {Kempe, Michael D. and Nobles, Dylan L. and Postak, Lori and Calderon, Jose Alonzo},
abstractNote = {Often photovoltaic modules are constructed with materials that are sensitive to water. This is most often the case with thin film technologies, including perovskite cells, where the active layers are a few microns thick and can be sensitive to moisture, liquid water or both. When moisture or liquid water can ingress, a small amount of water can lead to corrosion and depending on the resulting reactions, a larger local detrimental effect is possible. To prevent moisture from contacting photovoltaic components, impermeable frontsheets and backsheets are used with a polyisobutylene (PIB)-based edge seal material around the perimeter. Here, we evaluate the ability of a PIB-based edge seal using a molecular sieve desiccant to keep moisture out for the expected module lifetime. Moisture ingress is evaluated using test coupons where the edge seal is placed between 2 pieces of glass, one of which has a metallic calcium film on it, and monitoring the moisture ingress distance as a function of time. We expose samples to different temperature and humidity conditions to create permeation models useful for extrapolation to field use. This extrapolation indicates that this PIB material is capable of keeping moisture out of a module for the desired lifetime.},
doi = {10.1002/pip.2947},
journal = {Progress in Photovoltaics},
number = 2,
volume = 26,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {10}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion
journal, February 2019
- Kempe, Michael; Korkmaz, Kaan; Postak, Lori
- Energy Science & Engineering, Vol. 7, Issue 2