Solar Cell Aluminum Paste Composition for High-Silicon Conductivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In high-efficiency crystalline solar cells, increasing silicon content in aluminum pastes improves adhesiveness but decreases conductivity, leading to reduced conversion efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An aluminum paste containing aluminum, silicon, and strontium, where strontium is in metal form, with specific mass ratios to maintain low sheet resistance and prevent conversion efficiency reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If silicon content in aluminum paste is increased to improve adhesiveness, then adhesiveness of aluminum electrode to silicon substrate is improved, but conductivity of aluminum electrode decreases and sheet resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesivenessVSAvoidconductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Strontium acts as an intermediary element that mediates between silicon and aluminum. It forms a specific phase structure that allows silicon to provide adhesiveness while preventing excessive silicon from degrading conductivity. The strontium-containing phase serves as a bridge that maintains electrical pathways even when silicon content is elevated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite material system consisting of aluminum, silicon, and strontium in specific proportions. This composite structure leverages the adhesive properties of silicon while the strontium component compensates for conductivity losses. The multi-phase composite allows simultaneous optimization of both adhesiveness and electrical conductivity that cannot be achieved with simple aluminum-silicon mixtures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If silicon content in aluminum paste is increased to improve adhesiveness, then adhesiveness of aluminum electrode to silicon substrate is improved, but conversion efficiency of solar cell decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesivenessVSAvoidconversion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Strontium serves as a mediator that enables the use of higher silicon content for improved adhesiveness without the penalty of reduced conversion efficiency. It creates a phase structure where silicon's adhesive benefits are preserved while its negative impact on electrical performance is counteracted, thereby maintaining overall cell efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the compositional parameters by introducing strontium at specific concentrations (0.01-5 mass%). This parameter modification fundamentally alters the phase formation and electrical properties of the aluminum electrode, enabling a new operating regime where high silicon content does not necessarily lead to reduced conversion efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4036991B1Solar battery aluminum paste
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 TOYO ALUMINIUM KK
  • EP4036991B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention provides an aluminum paste for solar cells in which a reduction in conversion efficiency of solar cells is suppressed in spite of the presence of silicon. Specifically, the present invention provides an aluminum paste for solar cells, containing aluminum, silicon, and strontium, wherein when the total mass of the aluminum, silicon, and strontium is defined as 100 mass%, the content of the silicon is 1 mass% or more and 60 mass% or less, the content of the strontium is 0.001 mass% or more and 10 mass% or less, and the remainder is the aluminum.