PVDF-Based Backsheet Cracking: Mapping In Situ Phase Evolution by X-Ray Scattering: Article No. 113355

Stephanie Moffitt; Sona Ulicna; Song-Syun Jhang; Po-Chang Pan; Michael Owen-Bellini; Peter Hacke; Michael Kempe; Jared Tracy; Kaushik Choudhury; Laura Schelhas; Xiaohong Gu

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355

PVDF-Based Backsheet Cracking: Mapping In Situ Phase Evolution by X-Ray Scattering: Article No. 113355

Stephanie Moffitt, Sona Ulicna, Song-Syun Jhang, Po-Chang Pan, Michael Owen-Bellini, Peter Hacke, Michael Kempe, Jared Tracy, Kaushik Choudhury, Laura Schelhas, Xiaohong Gu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

One of the most common polymers used in commercial photovoltaic backsheets is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, recent reports have shown the potential for PVDF-based backsheets to crack and fail prematurely. Previous work has suggested that polymer phase changes play a role in the failure mechanism. Here, in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering maps are used to show that ..alpha..- to ..beta..-phase transformations occur at crack tips in aged PVDF-based backsheets under stretching. Substantial ..beta..-phase formation is shown to be associated with strain hardening. In addition, our work demonstrates that ..beta..-phase formation is not required for crack growth and only occurs at crack tips when plastic deformation of the PVDF polymer has occurred. The anisotropy in the strength of aged PVDF-based backsheets is linked to the lack of ..beta..-phase formation when strain is applied to aged backsheets in the transverse direction.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	12
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	282
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355
State	Published - 2025

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5K00-90258

Keywords

polymer phase
polyvinylidene fluoride
solar panel backsheets
wide-angle x-ray scattering

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10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355

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@article{2cccce28360b439eb43d8e5611ff8ad7,

title = "PVDF-Based Backsheet Cracking: Mapping In Situ Phase Evolution by X-Ray Scattering: Article No. 113355",

abstract = "One of the most common polymers used in commercial photovoltaic backsheets is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, recent reports have shown the potential for PVDF-based backsheets to crack and fail prematurely. Previous work has suggested that polymer phase changes play a role in the failure mechanism. Here, in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering maps are used to show that ..alpha..- to ..beta..-phase transformations occur at crack tips in aged PVDF-based backsheets under stretching. Substantial ..beta..-phase formation is shown to be associated with strain hardening. In addition, our work demonstrates that ..beta..-phase formation is not required for crack growth and only occurs at crack tips when plastic deformation of the PVDF polymer has occurred. The anisotropy in the strength of aged PVDF-based backsheets is linked to the lack of ..beta..-phase formation when strain is applied to aged backsheets in the transverse direction.",

keywords = "polymer phase, polyvinylidene fluoride, solar panel backsheets, wide-angle x-ray scattering",

author = "Stephanie Moffitt and Sona Ulicna and Song-Syun Jhang and Po-Chang Pan and Michael Owen-Bellini and Peter Hacke and Michael Kempe and Jared Tracy and Kaushik Choudhury and Laura Schelhas and Xiaohong Gu",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355",

language = "American English",

volume = "282",

journal = "Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - PVDF-Based Backsheet Cracking: Mapping In Situ Phase Evolution by X-Ray Scattering

T2 - Article No. 113355

AU - Moffitt, Stephanie

AU - Ulicna, Sona

AU - Jhang, Song-Syun

AU - Pan, Po-Chang

AU - Owen-Bellini, Michael

AU - Hacke, Peter

AU - Kempe, Michael

AU - Tracy, Jared

AU - Choudhury, Kaushik

AU - Schelhas, Laura

AU - Gu, Xiaohong

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - One of the most common polymers used in commercial photovoltaic backsheets is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, recent reports have shown the potential for PVDF-based backsheets to crack and fail prematurely. Previous work has suggested that polymer phase changes play a role in the failure mechanism. Here, in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering maps are used to show that ..alpha..- to ..beta..-phase transformations occur at crack tips in aged PVDF-based backsheets under stretching. Substantial ..beta..-phase formation is shown to be associated with strain hardening. In addition, our work demonstrates that ..beta..-phase formation is not required for crack growth and only occurs at crack tips when plastic deformation of the PVDF polymer has occurred. The anisotropy in the strength of aged PVDF-based backsheets is linked to the lack of ..beta..-phase formation when strain is applied to aged backsheets in the transverse direction.

AB - One of the most common polymers used in commercial photovoltaic backsheets is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, recent reports have shown the potential for PVDF-based backsheets to crack and fail prematurely. Previous work has suggested that polymer phase changes play a role in the failure mechanism. Here, in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering maps are used to show that ..alpha..- to ..beta..-phase transformations occur at crack tips in aged PVDF-based backsheets under stretching. Substantial ..beta..-phase formation is shown to be associated with strain hardening. In addition, our work demonstrates that ..beta..-phase formation is not required for crack growth and only occurs at crack tips when plastic deformation of the PVDF polymer has occurred. The anisotropy in the strength of aged PVDF-based backsheets is linked to the lack of ..beta..-phase formation when strain is applied to aged backsheets in the transverse direction.

KW - polymer phase

KW - polyvinylidene fluoride

KW - solar panel backsheets

KW - wide-angle x-ray scattering

U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113355

M3 - Article

SN - 0927-0248

VL - 282

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

ER -

PVDF-Based Backsheet Cracking: Mapping In Situ Phase Evolution by X-Ray Scattering: Article No. 113355

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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