# US 2019/0172962 A1 · Encapsulation structure and solar cell module

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- Number: US 2019/0172962 A1
- Document ID: US20190172962A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/857,625
- Filed: 2017-12-29
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-05
- Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute
- Applicants: Industrial Technology Research Institute
- Inventors: Wei-Sheng Lin; Chien-Rong Huang; Tung-Po Hsieh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172962A1

## CPC

- H10F 19/804: {Materials of encapsulations}
- H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells
- H10F 19/85: Protective back sheets
- H10F 19/902: {for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- 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

An encapsulation structure and a solar cell module are provided, wherein the encapsulation structure is disposed on the light incident surface of the solar cell module and is consisted of a thermoplastic protective layer, a transparent water-barrier layer, and an adhesive layer. The thermoplastic protective layer is disposed on the outermost layer of the light incident surface, and the material thereof includes thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The transparent water-barrier layer is disposed between the adhesive layer and the thermoplastic protective layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An encapsulation structure of a solar cell module disposed on a light incident surface of the solar cell module, wherein the encapsulation structure is consisted of the following layers:
a thermoplastic protective layer disposed on an outermost layer of the light incident surface, wherein a material of the thermoplastic protective layer comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE);
an adhesive layer; and
a transparent water-barrier layer disposed between the adhesive layer and the thermoplastic protective layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the transparent water-barrier layer comprises a glass having a thickness of 400 microns or less or a polymer having a thin-film encapsulation (TFE).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 2, wherein the polymer having the TFE comprises polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a fluoropolymer, polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is a thermoplastic adhesive layer or a thermosetting adhesive layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 1, wherein a material of the adhesive layer comprises TPU, TPO, TPE, or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

### Claim 6

An encapsulation structure of a solar cell module disposed on a back light surface of the solar cell module, wherein the encapsulation structure is consisted of the following layers:
a thermoplastic protective layer disposed on an outermost layer of the back light surface, wherein a material of the thermoplastic protective layer comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE);
an adhesive layer; and
a water-barrier layer disposed between the adhesive layer and the thermoplastic protective layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 6, wherein the water-barrier layer comprises a metal foil, a glass having a thickness of 400 microns or less, or a polymer having a thin-film encapsulation (TFE).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 7, wherein the polymer having the TFE comprises polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a fluoropolymer, polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF).

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer is a thermoplastic adhesive layer or a thermosetting adhesive layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The encapsulation structure of the solar cell module of claim 6, wherein a material of the adhesive layer comprises TPU, TPO, TPE, or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

### Claim 11

A solar cell module, comprising:
a front plate encapsulation structure;
a backplate encapsulation structure; and
a plurality of solar cells encapsulated between the front plate encapsulation structure and the backplate encapsulation structure, wherein
the front plate encapsulation structure is consisted of a first thermoplastic protective layer, a first water-barrier layer, and a first adhesive layer, wherein the first water-barrier layer is disposed between the first thermoplastic protective layer and the first adhesive layer,
a material of the first thermoplastic protective layer comprises thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE),
the first water-barrier layer is a transparent water-barrier layer, and
the solar cells are directly in contact with the first adhesive layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the first thermoplastic protective layer is disposed on an outermost layer of the solar cell module.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the first water-barrier layer comprises a glass having a thickness of 400 microns or less or a polymer having a thin-film encapsulation (TFE).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The solar cell module of claim 13, wherein the first water-barrier layer is a polymer having the TFE, comprising polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a fluoropolymer, polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), or polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF).

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the first adhesive layer is a thermoplastic adhesive layer or a thermosetting adhesive layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein a material of the first adhesive layer comprises TPU, TPO, TPE, or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the backplate structure is consisted of a second thermoplastic protective layer, a second water-barrier layer, and a second adhesive layer, and the second water-barrier layer is disposed between the second thermoplastic protective layer and the second adhesive layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, wherein a material of the second thermoplastic protective layer comprises TPU, TPO, or TPE.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, wherein the solar cells are directly in contact with the second adhesive layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, wherein the second water-barrier layer comprises a metal foil, a glass having a thickness of 400 microns or less or a polymer having a TFE.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The solar cell module of claim 20, wherein the second water-barrier layer is the polymer having the TFE, comprising PC, PEN, PET, a fluoropolymer, PVF, ETFE, or PVDF.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, wherein the second adhesive layer is a thermoplastic adhesive layer or a thermosetting adhesive layer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, wherein a material of the second adhesive layer comprises TPU, TPO, TPE, or EVA.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The solar cell module of claim 17, further comprising a pattern layer disposed on an outer surface of the backplate encapsulation structure.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The solar cell module of claim 24, wherein the pattern layer comprises an ink layer and a white pigment layer disposed between the ink layer and the second thermoplastic protective layer.

### Claim 26 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the solar cells comprise CIGS solar cells, monocrystalline silicon solar cells, polycrystalline silicon solar cells, amorphous silicon solar cells, CdTe solar cells, perovskite solar cells, or a combination of the solar cells.

### Claim 27 (depends on 11)

The solar cell module of claim 11, wherein the solar cells form a solar cell group connected in parallel and series.