P V M A N UFA CT URI N G
Ron Partridge
Viral Vora
Sr. Business Development Engineer Arkema Inc.
Arkema India
Kynar® PVDF for Photovoltaic Applications - Trusted and Proven Performance With the advent of new patented Kynar® PVDF films from Arkema, the key performance attributes of PVF can be achieved and improved in many cases with the use of a Kynar® film layer. Polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF is a highly non-reactive and pure thermoplastic fluoropolymer with repeating vinylidene difluoride units as follows –(CH2CF2)n–. Thus it contains approximately double the number of carbon-fluorine bonds as compared with PVF polymer. It is the high bond strength of the carbon-fluorine bond that makes fluoropolymers unique in terms of their long-lasting performance and chemical resistance. To achieve the longest term performance, fluoropolymers as a class of materials will provide trusted and proven long term protection.
C
r ys t alline PV modules are traditionally comprised of a multilayer construction as shown
below.
The glass, encapsulant materials and backsheet laminate provide a complete packaging solution to protect the sensitive silicon cells and wiring from damage and degradation. The purpose of the glass frontsheet is to provide a long lasting, durable and impact resistant layer to protect the fragile crystalline PV cells from damage. Similarly, the backsheet construction must protect the silicon cells and wiring from environmental
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EQ INTERNATIONAL January/February 12
stresses and ensure electrical insulation and safety. Stresses such as UV radiation, oxygen, humidity, salt, sand, and atmospheric pollution, can easily compromise many materials used in backsheet constructions. Damage to the glass frontsheet or degradation of the backsheet can lead to premature module failure and safety issues. While IEC and UL standards provide for minimum performance levels, their requirements are not stringent
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