Polymeric materials for long‐term durability of photovoltaic systems

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) technology has evolved rapidly in the past few decades and now encompasses a large variety of materials and device structures. A key aspect to be taken into account in any PV technology is the operational durability of the systems in outdoor conditions. Clearly, loss of performance during operation represents a significant drawback and limitation in the commercialization of this technology. In this context, the large compositional flexibility of polymeric materials as well as their proven easy processability may be of great help in imparting improved durability to PV systems. In this review, a summary on the state of the art and most recent developments in the field of polymeric materials for improved long-term durability of PV devices is presented, with particular emphasis on the use of polymers as encapsulation materials and protective coatings in the field of both PV and lightconcentration systems.

Increased reliability of modified polyolefin backsheet over commonly used polyester backsheets for crystalline PV modules

“…Newly formed shorter polymer chains are more mobile and able to accumulate on the lamellar surface of newly formed crystallites known as chemocrystallization . Therefore, after aging, the initial degree of crystallization is increased for the amount of crystals formed by chemo‐ and/or recrystallization (physical aging), which gives rise to embrittlement of the material and cracking and/or delamination of the backsheet (see Figure ) . The embrittlement of PET‐based backsheets due to hydrolysis and chemocrystallization was already reported …”

“…This makes polymeric materials if not the triggering then at least the promoting component for PV degradation, which is occurring even before meeting the expected lifetime of ≥25 years . Main failure modes of PV backsheets are cracking, delamination, yellowing, formation of bubbles, and chalking . Each of these failure modes could jeopardize the reliability of the whole PV module in terms of (1) increased water and contamination ingress, which promotes corrosion and delamination, (2) reduced electrical and physical isolation, and (3) reduced dimensional stability of the PV module.…”

A comparative study of calorimetric methods to determine the crosslinking degree of the ethylene-Co-vinyl acetate polymer used as a photovoltaic encapsulant

“…The global photovoltaic (PV) market is growing year after year. With the aim of staying competitive with respect to other energies, durability and reliability of PV modules remain the key subjects . This requires consistent quick methods to characterize materials.…”

“…With the aim of staying competitive with respect to other energies, durability and reliability of PV modules remain the key subjects. [1][2][3] This requires consistent quick methods to characterize materials. Throughout the PV modules lifetime, weathering implies temperature gradients and causes differential thermal expansions within the PV stack.…”

Protection of high‐density polyethylene–silicon composites from ultraviolet–visible photodegradation

“…14 The control of the effects of oxidation by the incorporation of light-blocking additives is key to the protection of the chemical structure of the polymer and in the design of materials to ensure long-term properties. [15][16][17][18] The protection of polymers against UV-vis photoirradiation is still a current issue, despite the extended use of organic and inorganic UV blockers. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] The advantage of inorganic particles is their stability against UV photoirradiation.…”