Solar cell

• US 5,344,501 A
• Filed: 03/23/1993
• Issued: 09/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yuichi, Tanaka, Hisami
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US08/035,576
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 136/251, 136/259, 257/684, 257/702, 257/788, 257/433
• US Class Current: 136/259
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 230/00 Copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and containing phosphorus, selenium, tellurium or a metal metal salts, e.g. phenolates or alcoholates, see the parent compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 4/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond ; Coating compositions, based on monomers of macromolecular compounds of groups C09D183/00 - C09D183/16
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02167 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar cell, comprising a solar cell unit and a protective layer formed on the solar cell unit, wherein said protective layer comprises a polymer formed by polymerization of a cyclotriphosphazene monomer represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R₁ to R₆ independently denote an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group. The cyclophosphazene monomer preferably contains R₁ to R₆ which are represented by the formula (I): ##STR2## wherein R₇ denotes an alkylene group, arylene group, alkyl-substituted arylene group, alkylamide group arylamide group or polyoxyalkylene group, and R₈ denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. The polymer obtained from the cyclotriphosphazene monomer is effective for providing a solar cell having high and stable output efficiency, mechanical durability, and good environmental stability.

Claims

1. A solar cell, comprising a solar cell unit and a protective layer formed on the solar cell unit, wherein said protective layer comprises a polymer formed by polymerization of a cyclotriphosphazene monomer represented by the following formula (I):

##STR9## wherein R₁ to R₆ independently denote an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable group.

2. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein R₁ to R₆, in Formula (I) denote a group represented by the following formula (II):

##STR10## wherein R₇ denotes an alkylene group, arylene group, alkyl-substituted arylene group, alkylamide group arylamide group or polyoxyalkylene group, and R₈ denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

3. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said protective layer comprises conductive particles.

4. A solar cell according to claim 3, wherein said conductive particles are selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, a metal oxide, and carbon black.

5. A solar cell according the claim 4, wherein said conductive particles comprise a metal oxide.

6. A solar cell according to claim 3, wherein said conductive particles in the protective layer have an average particle size of at most 0.3 μ

m.

7. A solar cell according to claim 6, wherein said conductive particles in the protective layer have an average particle size of at most 0.1 μ

m.

8. A solar cell according to claim 3, wherein the conductive particles before dispersion have an average primary particle size of at most 0.1 μ

m.

9. A solar cell according claim 8, wherein said conductive particles before dispersion have an average primary particle size of at most 0.05 μ

m.

10. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said solar cell unit includes a photosensitive layer comprising an inorganic photoconductive substance.

11. A solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said solar cell unit includes a photosensitive layer comprising an organic photoconductive substance.

12. A solar cell according to claim 1, which further comprises an adhesive layer disposed between said solar cell unit and said protective layer.