Encapsulation of PV modules using ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer as a pottant: A critical review

The primary purpose of this work is to review the literature about what is and is not known about using ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA0 copolymer as the encapsulant (or pottant) material in photovoltaic (PV) modules. Secondary purposes include elucidating the complexity of the encapsulation problem, providing an overview about encapsulation of PV cells and modules, providing a historical overview of the relevant research and development on EVA, summarizing performance losses reported for PV systems deployed since ca. 1981, and summarizing the general problems of polymer stability in a solar environment. We also provide a critical review of aspects of reported work for cases that we believe are important.Failure modes resolved in the early work to establish reliability of deployed modules and the purposes and properties of pottants, are summarized. Typical performance losses in large field-deployed, large-scale systems ranging from 1% to 10% per year are given quantitatively, and qualitative reports of EVA discoloration are summarized with respect to ultraviolet (UV), world-wide location and site dependence.The general stability of polymers and their desirable bulk properties for solar utilization are given. The stabilization formulation for EVA, its effectiveness, and changes in it during degradation are discussed. The degradation mechanisms for the base resin, e.g., unstabilized Elvax 150^TM, and stabilized EVA are indicated for literature dating to the early 1950s, and the role played by unsaturated chromophores is indicated. The limited number of studies relating discoloration and PV cell efficiency are summarized.Observed degradation of EVA or the unstabilized base resin in the laboratory and examples used to measure the degradation are summarized in sections entitled: (1) thermally-induced degradation; (2) photodegradation and photothermal degradation of EVA in different temperature regimes; (3) photobleaching and photodegradation of the UV absorber and cross-linking agent; (4) acetic acid and metal and metal-oxide catalyzed oxidative degradation; and (5) discolaration and PV cell efficiency losses.Processing effects/influences on EVA stability are discussed in sections entitled: (1) EVA raw materials and extruded, uncured films; (2) thermal encapsulation processes; (3) effects of lamination, curing, and curing peroxide on gel content and chromophores formed; and (4) incomplete shielding of curing-generated chromophores. A summary is given for the limited number of accelerated lifetime testing efforts and examples of erroneous service lifetime predictions for EVA are discussed. The known factors that effect the discoloration rate of several EVA formulations are discussed in which the reduction in rate by using UV-absorbing superstrates is a prime example. A summary is given of what is and is not known about EVA degradation mechanisms, degradation from exposures in field-deployed modeules and/or laboratory testing, and factors that contribute to EVA stability or degradation. Finally, conclusions about using Elvax 150 in EVA formulations are summarized, and future prospects for developing the next-generation pottant for encapsulating PV modules are discussed.     

新型有机非线性光学材料的制备及性能研究

合成了一种新型含呋喃共轭桥的有机二阶非线性光学生色团分子,用IR、1H-NMR和元素分析表征了其结构。热失重分析(TGA)结果表明,化合物的热分解温度为272℃。利用溶致变色法对材料的超极化率μβ值进行了测量,在1 064 nm激光波长下,材料的μgβ值达24 898×10-48esu。将材料作为客体掺杂于聚砜(PSU)中,用旋涂成膜法制成薄膜,对薄膜进行电晕极化后用二次谐波法(SHG)测量其二阶非线性光学系数d33,在激光基频波长为1 064 nm时,测得d33=70 pm/V。     

Relaxation Dynamics and Strain Persistency of Azobenzene‐Functionalized Polymers and Actuators

The accumulation of photoinduced deformation in azobenzene functionalized polymers has received a significant amount of attention in recent years. Critically, the induced photomechanical deformation in these systems experiences varying degrees of relaxation. Control over the persistence of photomechanical strains is vital to the broader utility of these materials in shape programmable systems including soft robotics and engineered origami. Furthermore, investigations of relaxation in light responsive polymer systems triggered by UV light are more prominent than those triggered by blue‐green light. In this study, the impact of chain mobility and initially induced photostrain on the relaxation dynamics of azobenzene‐functionalized polyimides after irradiation with blue light is examined. A modeling effort coupling chromophore population dynamics to material strain is carried out to further explore the relationship between material structure, relaxation dynamics, and macroscopic deformation. The implications for controlling strain persistence are highlighted by simulating one example of a photoprimed bistable actuator.     

Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of PMMA copolymers having novel benzoxazole chromophores attached with various electron-withdrawing groups

For improvements of thermal stability and nonlinear optical (NLO) activity of chromophores, we newly synthesized a series of NLO chromophores incorporating aromatic benzoxazole unit as a π-conjugated bridge with various electron-withdrawing groups, such as nitrophenyl, nitrothiophene, nitrofuran, dicyanovinylphenyl, and nitrophenylethenyl group. Polymethylmethacrylate copolymers (PMBz) containing these benzoxazole chromophores were synthesized and their properties were investigated by thermogravimetry and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The PMBz copolymers exhibited better thermal and ultraviolet stabilities than the corresponding copolymer with general stilbene chromophores (PMSt). Moreover, temporal stability of nonlinear optical coefficient (d₃₃) of PMBz copolymer increased in comparison with that of PMSt. The copolymer with benzoxazole–nitrothiophene chromophores had the largest d₃₃ value of 153 pm/V (at 1.064 mm) and nonresonant d₃₃ calculated by the two-level model was 21.3 pm/V.     

Combined Mutagenesis and Kinetics Characterization of the Bilin‐Binding GAF Domain of the Protein Slr1393 from the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803

The gene slr1393 from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 encodes a protein composed of three GAF domains, a PAS domain, and a histidine kinase domain. GAF3 is the sole domain able to bind phycocyanobilin (PCB) as chromophore and to accomplish photochemistry: switching between a red‐absorbing parental and a green‐absorbing photoproduct state (λ_max=649 and 536 nm, respectively). Conversions in both directions were followed by time‐resolved absorption spectroscopy with the separately expressed GAF3 domain of Slr1393. Global fit analysis of the recorded absorbance changes yielded three lifetimes (3.2 μs, 390 μs, and 1.5 ms) for the red‐to‐green conversion, and 1.2 μs, 340 μs, and 1 ms for the green‐to‐red conversion. In addition to the wild‐type (WT) protein, 24 mutated proteins were studied spectroscopically. The design of these site‐directed mutations was based on sequence alignments with related proteins and by employing the crystal structure of AnPixJg2 (PDB ID: 3W2Z), a Slr1393 orthologous from Anabaena sp. PCC7120. The structure of AnPixJg2 was also used as template for model building, thus confirming the strong structural similarity between the proteins, and for identifying amino acids to target for mutagenesis. Only amino acids in close proximity to the chromophore were exchanged, as these were considered likely to have an impact on the spectral and dynamic properties. Three groups of mutants were found: some showed absorption features similar to the WT protein, a second group showed modified absorbance properties, and the third group had lost the ability to bind the chromophore. The most unexpected result was obtained for the exchange at residue 532 (N532Y). In vivo assembly yielded a red‐absorbing, WT‐like protein. Irradiation, however, not only converted it into the green‐absorbing form, but also produced a 660 nm, further‐red‐shifted absorbance band. This photoproduct was fully reversible to the parental form upon green light irradiation.     

Optical Nanoscale Pool‐on‐Surface Design for Control Sensing Recognition of Multiple Cations

General design of optical chemical nanosensors is needed to develop efficient sensing systems with high flexibility, and low capital cost for control recognition of toxic analytes. Here, we designed optical chemical nanosensors for simple, high‐speed detection of multiple toxic metal ions. The systematic design of the nanosensors was based on densely patterned chromophores with intrinsic mobility, namely, “building‐blocks” onto three‐dimensional (3D) nanoscale structures. The ability to precisely modify the nanoscale pore surfaces by using a broad range of chromophores that have different molecular sizes and characteristics enables detection of multiple toxic ions. A key feature of this building‐blocks design strategy is that the surface functionality and good adsorption characteristics of the fabricated nanosensor arrays enabled the development of “pool‐on‐surface” sensing systems in which high flux of the metal analytes across the probe molecules was achieved without significant kinetic hindrance. Such a sensing design enabled sensitive recognition of metal ions up to sub‐picomolar detection limits (～10^?11 mol dm^?3), for first time, with rapid response time within few seconds. Moreover, because these sensing pools exhibited long‐term stability, reversibility and selectivity in detecting most pollutant cations, for example, Cr(VI), Pb(II), Co(II), and Pd(II) ions, they are practical and inexpensive. The key result in our study is that the pool‐on‐surface design for optical nanosensors exhibited significant ion‐selective ability of these target ions from environmental samples and waste disposals.     

Nanoscale Membrane Strips for Benign Sensing of HgII Ions: A Route to Commercial Waste Treatments

The integration of actively‐functional receptors into nanoscale networks outperformed competent detection devices and other ion‐sensing designs. Synthesis of azo chromophores with long hydrophobic tails showed an ecofriendly sensing and an extreme selectivity for divalent mercury analytes. In order to tailor the tip to Hg^II ion‐sensing functionality, we manipulated the chromophores into nanoscale membrane discs, which led to small, easy‐to‐use optical sensor strips. The design of these hydrophobic probes into ordered pore‐based membranes transformed the ion‐sensing systems into smart, stable assemblies and portable laboratory assays. The nanosensor membrane strips with chemical and mechanical stability allowed for reversible, stable and reusable detectors without any structural damage, even under rigorous chemical treatment for several numbers of repeated cycles. The optical membrane strips provided Hg^II ion‐sensing recognition for both cost‐ and energy‐saving systems. Indeed, the synthetic strips proved to have an efficient ability for various analytical applications, targeting especially for on‐site and in situ chemical analyses, and for continuous monitoring of toxic Hg^II ions. On the proximity‐sensing front, these miniaturized nanomembrane strips can revolutionize the consumer and industrial market with the introduction of the probe surface‐mount naked‐eye ion‐sensor strips.     

Synthesis and Characterization of a Low Bandgap Conjugated Polymer for Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Cells

Low optical bandgap conjugated polymers may improve the efficiency of organic photovoltaic devices by increasing the absorption in the visible and near infrared region of the solar spectrum. Here we demonstrate that condensation polymerization of 2,5‐bis(5‐trimethylstannyl‐2‐thienyl)‐N‐dodecylpyrrole and 4,7‐dibromo‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂ as a catalyst affords a novel conjugated oligomeric material (PTPTB), which exhibits a low optical bandgap as a result of the alternation of electron‐rich and electron‐deficient units along the chain. By varying the molar ratio of the monomers in the reaction and fractionation of the reaction product, two different molecular weight fractions (PTPTB‐I and PTPTB‐II, see Experimental section) were isolated, containing 5–17 and 13–33 aromatic units respectively, as inferred from matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS). Thin films of PTPTB‐I and PTPTB‐II exhibit an optical bandgap of 1.60 and 1.46 eV, respectively. Photoinduced absorption (PIA) and photoluminescence spectroscopy of blends of PTPTB‐I and a methanofullerene (1‐(3‐methoxycarbonyl)‐propyl‐1‐phenyl‐[6,6]C₆₁, PCBM) gave direct spectral evidence of the photoinduced electron‐transfer reaction from PTPTB‐I as a donor to the fullerene derivative as an acceptor. Thin PTPTB‐I:PCBM composite films were sandwiched between indium tin oxide/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (ITO/PEDOT:PSS) and Al electrodes to prepare working photovoltaic devices, which show an open circuit voltage of 0.67 V under white‐light illumination. The spectral dependence of the device shows an onset of the photocurrent at 1.65 eV (750 nm).     

Spacer-chromoionophores — polymethine dye substituted aza-crown ethers with increased complexation ability

Aromatic aldehyde derivatives of N-phenyl-aza-15-crown-5 ( 2 ), N-phenyl-aza-18-crown-6 ( 8 ), and benzo-15-crown-5 ( 10 ) are condensed with malononitrile and 2-amino-1,1,3-tricyano-1-propene to give light yellow to orange colored crown ether derivatives 4 , 5a , 9a , 11 , and 12 . 5a and 9a were acylated with ethyl chloroformate to give the magenta colored dyes 5b and 9b , respectively. By condensation of N-(4-nitrosophenyl)-aza-15-crown-5 3 with 2-amino-1,1,3-tricyano-1-propene the magenta dye 6a is obtained. Acylation of 6a with ethyl chloroformate leads to the deep blue colored dye 6b . In these derivatives the nitrogen or oxygen atoms of the crown ethers are part of the chromophoric system, and binding properties are affected. Further chromophoric derivatives of aza-crown ethers are studied in which these are separated from the chromophoric moiety by a spacer. N-(ω-chloroalkyl)-N-alkylanilines 14a-c were attached to aza-15-crown-5 13a-c and aza-18-crown-6 13b-c to yield the spacer crown ether derivatives 15a-c and 16a-c , respectively. The formylated spacer crown ether derivatives 17a-c and 18b were condensed with 2-amino-1,1,3-tricyano-1-propene to give the orange spacer-chromoionophores 19a-c and 20 . In these crown ether derivatives the extended conjugation is interrupted by the spacer, and good binding properties are obtained. The complex formation constants of the crown ether derivatives with Na⁺ and K⁺ are determined using ¹H NMR spectroscopy.