# US 11,309,101 B2 · Conductive paste for solar cell electrode and solar cell manufactured by using same

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- Number: US 11,309,101 B2
- Document ID: US11309101B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/346,070
- Filed: 2017-10-18
- Published: 2020-03-26
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-31
- Assignees: Ls-Nikko Copper Inc.
- Applicants: Ls-Nikko Copper Inc.
- Inventors: Chung Ho Kim; Hwa Young Noh; Mun Seok Jang; Tae Hyun Jun; In Chul Kim; Min Soo Ko
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309101B2

## CPC

- H01B 1/22: the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
- C07F 7/08: Compounds having one or more C—Si linkages
- H10F 71/128: {Annealing}
- H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- C07F: ACYCLIC, CARBOCYCLIC OR HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ELEMENTS OTHER THAN CARBON, HYDROGEN, HALOGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, SULFUR, SELENIUM OR TELLURIUM (metal-containing porphyrins C07D487/22)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a conductive paste for a solar cell electrode, including a metal powder, a glass frit, an organic binder, a silicone-based additive and a solvent, wherein the silicone-based additive includes trimethylsiloxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, whereby an electrode formed using the conductive paste can be improved in aspect ratio, that is, line width and line height, thus increasing conductivity, and a solar cell having high power generation efficiency can be provided by enlarging the light-receiving surface through decreasing the line width of the electrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conductive paste for a solar cell electrode, comprising a metal powder, a glass frit, an organic binder, a silicone-based additive, and a solvent,
wherein the silicone-based additive includes trimethylsiloxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane represented by Chemical Formula 1 below
(wherein n is an integer of 1 to 300), and
wherein the silicone-based additive further includes polyether-modified polydimethylsiloxane represented by Chemical Formula 2 below in an amount of 20 wt % or less based on a total weight of the silicone-based additive
(wherein R1 is independently selected from among hydrogen and a methyl group, in which hydrogen and a methyl group are able to coexist in a molecule, m is an integer of 5 to 100, n is an integer of 1 to 10, x is an integer of 1 to 300, and y is an integer of 1 to 100),
wherein the silicone-based additive is contained in an amount of 0.01 to 0.3 wt % based on a total weight of the conductive paste.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the silicone-based additive further includes octamethyl cyclotetrasiloxane represented by Chemical Formula 3 below in an amount of 5 wt % or less based on a total weight of the silicone-based additive.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of dimethyl adipate, diethylene glycol butyl ether acetate, Texanol, dioctyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, diethyleneglycol, ethylene glycol butyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether acetate, and diethylene glycol butyl ether.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the solvent further includes at least one hydrocarbon-based solvent in an amount of 5 wt % or less based on a total weight of the solvent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the metal powder is a powder having an average particle diameter of 0.1 to 10 μm and includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a silver (Ag) powder, a gold (Au) powder, a platinum (Pt) powder, a nickel (Ni) powder, and a copper (Cu) powder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the glass frit has an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 200 to 300° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the organic binder includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a cellulose ester compound, a cellulose ether compound, an acrylic compound, and a vinyl compound.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A solar cell, comprising a front electrode provided on a substrate and a rear electrode provided under the substrate,
wherein the front electrode is manufactured by applying and then firing the conductive paste of claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein a first crystallization temperature of the glass frit is less than 400° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The conductive paste of claim 9, wherein a second crystallization temperature of the glass frit is less than 500° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The conductive paste of claim 9, wherein a second crystallization temperature of the glass frit is less than 400° C.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein R1 includes both the hydrogen, and the methyl group, and a molar ratio of units in which R1 is the hydrogen to unit in which R1 is the methyl group is from 2:8 to 8:2.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The conductive paste of claim 12, wherein R1 includes both the hydrogen, and the methyl group, and a molar ratio of units in which R1 is the hydrogen to unit in which R1 is the methyl group is from 6:4 to 8:2.