Ethylene Copolymer Blend Encapsulant for Solar Module Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solar cell modules face challenges with encapsulant materials that lack superior adhesion to adjacent layers, leading to potential moisture ingress and de-lamination, especially in thin film solar cell modules where edge sealing is costly and process-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A solar cell module utilizing a blend composition of ethylene copolymers with specific melt flow rates and comonomer ratios, which forms a sheet that serves as an encapsulant layer, providing enhanced adhesion and water resistance to glass and other materials, thereby improving the weatherability and sealing of the module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional encapsulant materials are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adhesion to adjacent layers deteriorates leading to moisture ingress and de-lamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of a polyolefin copolymer base resin combined with a polyacid-containing copolymer additive. This composite approach provides superior adhesion to glass and other adjacent layers while maintaining compatibility with conventional manufacturing processes, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the encapsulant by incorporating polyacid-containing copolymers at specific concentrations (0.1-10 wt%). This parameter change enhances adhesion properties without significantly altering the processing characteristics, allowing improved reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture
2Reliability
If edge sealing is implemented in thin film solar cell modules, then moisture ingress is prevented, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the moisture barrier function from the edge sealing process and integrates it into the bulk encapsulant material itself. By incorporating polyacid-containing copolymers that provide superior adhesion and moisture resistance throughout the encapsulant layer, the need for complex edge sealing processes is eliminated, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability
3Illumination intensity
If encapsulant material with high transparency is used, then sunlight transmission to solar cells is improved, but adhesion strength to adjacent layers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the adhesion-enhancing polyacid-containing copolymer at the interfaces with adjacent layers (glass, solar cells, backsheet), while the bulk encapsulant maintains high transparency through the use of clear polyolefin copolymers. This localized approach ensures both sunlight transmission and adhesion strength are optimized
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ethylene copolymer blend composition ensures strong adhesion to glass and other materials, reducing moisture ingress and enhancing the long-term weatherability and durability of solar cell modules, particularly in thin film configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The ethylene copolymer blend composition ensures strong adhesion to glass and other materials
Implementation Method 2
providing enhanced adhesion and water resistance to glass and other materials, thereby improving the weatherability and sealing of the module
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a solar cell module comprising a polymeric encapsulant sheet, wherein the polymeric encapsulant sheet comprises a blend composition of an ethylene copolymer A and an ethylene copolymer B, the blend composition having a melt flow rate of less than 100 g/10 min, as determined in accordance with ASTM D1238 at 190° C. and 2.16 kg, and wherein the ethylene copolymer A comprises copolymerized units of ethylene and about 3 to about 20 wt % of an ester or anhydride of a C4-C8 unsaturated acid having two carboxylic acid groups and the ethylene copolymer B comprises copolymerized units of ethylene and about 6 to about 40 wt % of a polar monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, alkyl (meth)acrylates, and mixtures thereof.