Apparatus and Method for Extending Polyolefin Containing Photovoltaic Panel Life Span

• US 20120216864A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total American Services, Inc. (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc. (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Gauthier, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,941,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/263
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/88 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31739 Nylon type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31931 Polyene monomer-containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell containing at least one substrate, two electrode layers, an organic photovoltaic layer situated between the two electrode layers, and an oxygen scavenger composition.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic cell, comprising:

at least one substrate;

two electrode layers;

an organic photovoltaic layer situated between the two electrode layers; and

an oxygen scavenger composition.

2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, where the oxygen scavenger composition is incorporated into the at least one substrate.

3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, a polyimide, and combinations thereof.

4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the organic photovoltaic layer contains an electron acceptor material and an electron donor material.

5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 4, wherein the electron acceptor material is selected from the group consisting of fullerenes, oxadiazoles, carbon nanorods, discotic liquid crystals, inorganic nanoparticles, inorganic nanorods, and polymers containing moieties capable of accepting electrons or forming stable anions, and combinations thereof.

6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 4, wherein the electron donor material is selected from the group consisting of discotic liquid crystals, polythiophenes, polyphenylenes, polyphenylvinylenes, polysilanes, polythienylvinylenes, and polyisothianaphthalenes, and combinations thereof.

7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a polyolefins-based overwrap, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition is present in the polyolefins-based overwrap as an oxygen scavenger layer.

8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7, wherein the polyolefins-based overwrap comprises an oxygen scavenger layer situated between two barrier layers, wherein the two barrier layers are situated between two adhesive layers and wherein the two adhesive layers are situated between two polyolefin layers.

9. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7, wherein the oxygen scavenger layer is selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated polymers, ethylene methylacrylate cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate terpolymer, ethylene vinyl cyclohexene copolymer, ethylene cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate copolymer, cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate homopolymer, ethylene vinyl toluene copolymer, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, and combinations thereof.

10. The photovoltaic cell of claim 8, wherein the barrier layers are selected from the group consisting of PAN, PVDC, PET, EVOH, nylon, PEN, and combinations thereof.

11. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises a transition metal and/or transition metal salt.

12. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises an antioxidant.

13. The photovoltaic cell of claim 7, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises a trigger mechanism that is capable of initiating the oxygen scavenging when triggered by an event.

14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 13, wherein the trigger mechanism includes a UV trigger that is capable of initiating the oxygen scavenging when triggered by exposure to UV light.

15. An oxygen scavenger composition, comprising:

a polymeric-based overwrap comprising an oxygen scavenger layer situated between two barrier layers;

wherein the two barrier layers are situated between two adhesive layers; and

wherein the two adhesive layers are situated between two polymeric layers.

16. The composition of claim 15, wherein the oxygen scavenger layer comprises materials selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated polymers, ethylene methylacrylate cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate terpolymer, ethylene vinyl cyclohexene copolymer, ethylene cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate copolymer, cyclohexenylmethyl acrylate homopolymer, ethylene vinyl toluene copolymer, ethylene propylene diene terpolymer, and combinations thereof.

17. The composition of claim 15, wherein the barrier layers are selected from the group consisting of PAN, PVDC, PET, EVOH, nylon, PEN, and combinations thereof.

18. The composition of claim 15, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises a transition metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, rhodium, and ruthenium, and combinations thereof.

19. The composition of claim 15, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises a transition metal salt selected from the group consisting of cobalt benzoate, cobalt oleate, cobalt stearate, cobalt 2-ethylhexanoate, cobalt octanoate, cobalt neodecanoate, cobalt acetylacetonate, cobalt 2-ethylbutyrate, cobalt acetylacetonate, cobalt 2-ethylbutyrate, and combinations thereof.

20. The composition of claim 15, wherein the oxygen scavenger composition further comprises an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of 2,6-di(t-butyl)-4-methylphenol(BHT), 2,2′

-methylene-bis(6-t-butyl-p-cresol), triphenylphosphite, tris-(nonylphenyl)phosphite, vitamin E, tetra-bismethylene 3-(3,5-ditertbutyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionate methane, and dilaurylthiodipropionate, and combinations thereof.

21. The composition of claim 15, wherein the adhesive layers comprise EVA.

22. The composition of claim 15, further comprising a trigger mechanism that is capable of initiating oxygen scavenging when triggered by an event.

23. The composition of claim 22, wherein the trigger mechanism includes a UV trigger that is capable of initiating the oxygen scavenging when triggered by exposure to UV light.

24. A method of extending the life span of a polyolefin containing panel, comprising:

incorporating an oxygen scavenger composition into a substrate layer of a polyolefin containing panel.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the polyolefin containing panel is selected from the group consisting of an organic photovoltaic cell, an LCD panel, an LED panel, and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising a trigger mechanism that is capable of initiating oxygen scavenging when triggered by an event.