Solar cell encapsulant layers with enhanced stability and adhesion
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsRichard Allen Hayes, Geraldine M. Lenges, Steven C. Pesek, Sam Louis Samuels, Charles Anthony Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a solar cell module comprising at least one encapsulant layer which has 1) a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils and 2) at least one surface layer made of ionomers containing a finite amount of polymerized residues of α-olefins and from about 18 to about 25 wt % of polymerized residues of α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids. The present invention also provides a process of manufacturing the solar cell module.
Claims38
An assembly for preparing a solar cell module comprising:
- (i) a first encapsulant layer,
- (ii) a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells and having two opposite surfaces, a light-receiving surface and a rear surface, and
- (iii) an optional second encapsulant layer,
- wherein:
- a) said first encapsulant layer has a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils;
- b) said first encapsulant layer is made from an ionomeric composition consisting of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein said ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and greater than or equal to 18 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, which is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content;
- and
- c) when said optional second encapsulant layer is present, said first and said second encapsulant layers are laminated to each of said two opposite surfaces of said solar cell layer.
An assembly for preparing a solar cell module comprising:
- (i) a first encapsulant layer,
- (ii) a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells and having two opposite surfaces, a light-receiving surface and a rear surface, and
- (iii) an optional second encapsulant layer,
- wherein:
- a) said first encapsulant layer has a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils;
- b) said first encapsulant layer comprises at least one surface layer of an ionomeric composition consisting of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein the ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and from about 20 to about 23 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, and is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content;
- c) said first encapsulant layer further comprises one or more additional polymeric layers wherein said one or more additional polymeric layers are selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, acoustic poly(vinyl acetal), polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polyolefin block elastomers, ethylene acrylate ester copolymers, acid copolymers, silicone elastomers, epoxy resins and combinations thereof;
- and
- d) when said optional second encapsulant layer is present, said first and said second encapsulant layers are laminated to each of said two opposite surfaces of said solar cell layer.
An assembly for preparing a solar cell module consisting essentially of, from top to bottom, (i) an incident layer made of transparent material, which is laminated to, (ii) a first encapsulant layer that is laminated to, (iii) a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells, which is laminated to, (iv) an optional second encapsulant layer that is laminated to, (v) a back-sheet, wherein said first encapsulant layer has a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils and is made from an ionomeric composition consists of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein said ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and from about 20 to about 23 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, and is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content.
An assembly for preparing a solar cell module comprising:
- (a) a first encapsulant layer having a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils which is a multilayer film having two surface layers of ionomeric composition and one or more additional polymeric layers, wherein:
- (i) said ionomeric composition consists of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein said ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and from about 20 to about 23 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, and is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content;
- and
- (ii) said one or more additional polymeric layers are selected from the group consisting of ionomers, ethylene vinyl acetate, acoustic poly(vinyl acetal), polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polyolefin block elastomers, ethylene acrylate ester copolymers, acid copolymers, silicone elastomers, epoxy resins and combinations thereof;
- (b) a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells and having two opposite surfaces, a light-receiving surface and a rear surface;
- and (c) an optional second encapsulant layer, wherein when said optional second encapsulant layer is present, said first and said second encapsulant layers are laminated to each of said two opposite surfaces of said solar cell layer.
An assembly for preparing a solar cell module comprising:
- (i) a first encapsulant layer,
- (ii) a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells and having two opposite surfaces, a light-receiving surface and a rear surface, and
- (iii) an optional second encapsulant layer,
- wherein
- a) said first encapsulant layer has a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils;
- b) said first encapsulant layer comprises bi-layer film with at least one surface layer derived from an ionomeric composition consisting of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein said ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and from about 20 to about 23 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, and is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content;
- and
- c) said first encapsulant layer further comprises an additional polymeric layer of a polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, acoustic poly(vinyl acetal), polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polyolefin block elastomers, ethylene acrylate ester copolymers, acid copolymers, silicone elastomers, epoxy resins and combinations thereof;
- and
- d) when said optional second encapsulant layer is present, said first and said second encapsulant layers are laminated to each of said two opposite surfaces of said solar cell layer.
A process of manufacturing a solar cell module comprising:
- (i) providing an assembly comprising, from top to bottom, an incident layer, a first encapsulant layer, a solar cell layer comprising one or a plurality of electronically interconnected solar cells, an optional second encapsulant layer, and a back-sheet and (ii) laminating the assembly to form the solar cell module, wherein said first encapsulant layer has a total thickness of from about 0.1 to about 20 mils and is made from an ionomeric composition consisting of one ionomer and optionally one or more additives, wherein said ionomer comprises a finite amount of polymerized residues of an α-olefin and from about 20 to about 23 wt % of polymerized residues of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid based on the total weight of the ionomer, and is neutralized from about 10% to about 50% with zinc ions, based on the total carboxylic acid content.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.