Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants. Annual report

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6721830· OSTI ID:6721830

Willis, P. B.; Baum, B.; Schnitzer, H. S.

The goal of this program is to identify, evaluate, and recommend encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules. Technical activities during the past year have covered a number of topics and have emphasized the development of solar module encapsulation technology that employs ethylene/vinyl acetate, copolymer (EVA) as the pottant. These activities have included: (1) continued production of encapsulation grade EVA in sheet form to meet the needs of the photovoltaic industry; (2) investigations of three non-blocking techniques for EVA sheet; (3) performed an economic analysis of the high volume production of each pottant in order to estimate the large volume selling price (EVA, EPDM, aliphatic urethane, PVC plastisol, and butyl acrylate); (4) initiated an experimental corrosion protection program to determine if metal components could be successfully protected by encapsulation; (5) began an investigation to determine the maximum temperature which can be tolerated by the candidate pottant material in the event of hot spot heating or other temperature override; (6) continuation of surveys of potentially useful outer cover materials; and (7) continued with the accelerated artificial weathering of candidate encapsulation materials. Study results are presented. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Springborn Labs., Inc., Enfield, CT (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-954527
• OSTI ID: 6721830
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/954527-80/15
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ACETIC ACID ESTERS
MANUFACTURING
WEATHERING
ENCAPSULATION
MATERIALS
POLYACRYLATES
POLYURETHANES
POTTING MATERIALS
PVC
RUBBERS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
VINYL MONOMERS
CASTING
CORROSION
CORROSION PROTECTION
COST
COVERINGS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
MATERIALS TESTING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TESTING
THERMAL DEGRADATION
THERMAL GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ECONOMICS
ELASTOMERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUIPMENT
ESTERS
FABRICATION
GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MONOMERS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
THERMAL ANALYSIS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
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360404 - Materials- Polymers & Plastics- Physical Properties- (-1987)