Rheological and Mechanical Considerations for Photovoltaic Encapsulants

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

Photovoltaic (pv) devices are encapsulated in polymeric materials not only for corrosion protection, but also for mechanical support. Even though ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) suffers from having both glass and melting phase transitions at temperatures experienced under environmental exposure, its low cost and good optical transmission made EVA the most commonly used material for PV modules. Thesetransitions, however, cause EVA to embrittle at low temperatures (~-15 deg C) and to be very soft at high temperatures (>40 deg C). From mechanical considerations, one would prefer a material that was relatively unchanged under a wide temperature range. This would produce a more predictable and reliable package. These concerns are likely to become more important as silicon based cells are madethinner.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages5
StatePublished - 2005
Event2005 DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program Review Meeting - Denver, Colorado
Duration: 7 Nov 200510 Nov 2005

Conference

Conference2005 DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program Review Meeting
CityDenver, Colorado
Period7/11/0510/11/05

Bibliographical note

Presented at the 2005 DOE Solar Energy Technologies Program Review Meeting held November 7-10, 2005 in Denver, Colorado. Also included in the proceedings available on CD-ROM (DOE/GO-102006-2245; NREL/CD-520-38557)

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-520-38972

Keywords

  • NREL
  • photovoltaic encapsulants
  • photovoltaics (PV)
  • PV
  • solar

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