Thermal endurance study of polymers used in low concentration photovoltaic modules

Shuying Yang; Kent Whitfield

doi:10.1117/1.JPE.2.021803

4 October 2012 Thermal endurance study of polymers used in low concentration photovoltaic modules

Shuying Yang, Kent Whitfield

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Photonics for Energy, Vol. 2, Issue 1, 021803 (October 2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JPE.2.021803

Abstract

Thermal endurance studies were performed on the major polymeric components used in a Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) module using a thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) method. Activation energy of the various polymers was obtained, and lifetimes were predicted based on the assumption of 5% weight loss for 30 years. Oven aging was used to verify the TGA thermal endurance prediction. Reasonable agreement between TGA prediction and oven baking results were reached, with the exception of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant that demonstrated a second-order reaction inconsistent with TGA assumptions. As a result, a more LCPV-relevant way to characterize the degradation of EVA was developed and demonstrated a linear relationship between PV device short-circuit current degradation and yellowness index. For the purpose of this EVA degradation analysis, a 20% reduction in PV device short circuit current was selected as the failure criteria.

Citation Download Citation

Shuying Yang and Kent Whitfield "Thermal endurance study of polymers used in low concentration photovoltaic modules," Journal of Photonics for Energy 2(1), 021803 (4 October 2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JPE.2.021803

Published: 4 October 2012

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available