Fragmentation of photovoltaic backsheets after accelerated weathering exposure

The backsheet of a photovoltaic (PV) module functions primarily to provide safe operation through electrical insulation and protect the interior from environmental exposure. For most applications, backsheets consist of opaque, but highly reflective, films that protect inner layers from degradation f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Solar energy materials and solar cells 2021-07, Vol.226, p.111044, Article 111044
Main Authors: Kempe, Michael D., Lyu, Yadong, Kim, Jae Hyun, Felder, Thomas, Gu, Xiaohong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Backsheet
Crack
Cracks
Electrical insulation
Exposure
Fragmentation
Indoor environments
Modules
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaics
SOLAR ENERGY
Tensile testing
Ultraviolet radiation
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Summary:The backsheet of a photovoltaic (PV) module functions primarily to provide safe operation through electrical insulation and protect the interior from environmental exposure. For most applications, backsheets consist of opaque, but highly reflective, films that protect inner layers from degradation from ultraviolet (UV) light. Backsheets can fail if they delaminate or form cracks under strain. In a PV module, the maximum strains that can be applied are only on the order of a few percent. The greatest strains are likely to be highly localized around topographical features. Therefore, to assess the likelihood of a crack being initiated in a backsheet, we apply small amplitude strains to backsheet films under microscopic examination using a laser scanning confocal microscope. This allows us to monitor both the depth and density of cracks as well as the onset strain. Here we perform these measurements after exposure to UV light. •PET/PET/EVA based backsheet developed surface cracks at low strains (
ISSN:0927-0248
1879-3398
DOI:10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111044