Photovoltaics

The life span of a solar panel is between 20 and 30 years. Its components must therefore ensure that it delivers excellent performance over the long term - a challenge which has now been taken up by Arkema thanks to a number of its polymers.

Arkema has been present in the photovoltaics market since 2001 by offering polymers that are perfectly suited to the make-up of photovoltaic solar panels. This is the case with Evatane® resins used to encapsulate the silicon in the photovoltaic cells, Luperox® Solar ultra-fast crosslinking agents for these resins, Kynar® Film which protects the panel’s backsheet by providing long-term electrical insulation, and PMMA which is used to manufacture lenses to focus the sun’s rays.
Finally, Apolhya™ Solar, Arkema’s latest innovation, is an innovative nanostructured thermoplastic with exceptional properties, particularly suited to the encapsulation of new generation « thin-layer » panels.

• Evatane® polymers are ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) resins with a high vinyl acetate content. In the make-up of solar panels, EVAs provide the adhesion of the various layers (glass, silicon, backsheet) and the protection of silicon cells and electrical circuits. Evatane® polymers offer the ideal characteristics of durability and stability over time for the encapsulation of the panels: outstanding transparency related to the production process, high UV resistance, good electrical insulation, and good crosslinking ability.

• Arkema recently developed organic peroxide grades for the crosslinking of EVA used in the encapsulation of photovoltaic cells, Luperox® Solar Cure and Luperox® Solar Fast: one particular feature of these organic peroxides is their ability to speed up the crosslinking of EVA and hence increase the production output of solar panels.

• Kynar® PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) is a fluorinated polymer used in the manufacture of the film making up the backsheet of the panels. Its ensures the durability of photovoltaic cells while increasing their yield. Its main assets include straightforward processing, UV resistance over time, resistance to moisture and temperature fluctuations, and a stable white colour to help reflect the light towards the silicon.

• The high cost of solar panels is linked to the price of silicon. Researchers are looking to develop panels that produce just as much energy but with less silicon: one of the solutions consists in using lenses which focus the light onto narrow strips of silicon. PMMA becomes totally relevant in this context: glass lenses are heavy and difficult to manufacture, while PMMA, with its excellent transparency, easy moulding, and durability, can be used to manufacture lenses that concentrate light efficiently and so help enhance the effectiveness of photovoltaic panels while reducing their cost as a smaller amount of silicon is needed. Altuglas International, an Arkema subsidiary, offers Altuglas® HT 121, a product that is unique on the market, which can withstand temperatures of up to 100°C. This high temperature resistant grade can also be used for the manufacture of frontsheets for standard technology photovoltaic panels, replacing glass and so reducing the weight of the module.

• Finally, Apolhya™ Solar is a new nanostructured thermoplastic polymer intended for the encapsulation of new generation « thin-layer » photovoltaic modules including flexible modules. Perfectly suited to continuous manufacturing processes, Apolhya™ Solar combines excellent thermo-mechanical and adhesion properties, good temperature creep resistance, and perfect transparency.