Photovoltaic Module With Stabilized Polymer
The present invention provides a photovoltaic device comprising metal and a poly(vinyl butyral) layer that incorporates a suitable amount of 1H-benzotriazole. When electrical bias is applied to the photovoltaic device, 1H-benzotriazole forms a barrier layer at the metal/poly(vinyl butyral) interface, which, for example, unexpectedly virtually eliminated the yellowing of poly(vinyl butyral) in photovoltaic devices comprising silver components.
1 . A photovoltaic module, comprising:
a base substrate;
a photovoltaic device disposed in contact with said base substrate, wherein said photovoltaic device comprises a metal component;
a poly(vinyl butyral) layer disposed in contact with said photovoltaic device, wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 1H-benzotriazole or 1H-benzotriazole salt; and,
a protective substrate disposed in contact with said poly(vinyl butyral) layer.
2 . The module of claim 1 , wherein said photovoltaic device is a thin film photovoltaic device.
3 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 0.001 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
4 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 0.1 to 0.4 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
5 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 1 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
6 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer further comprises a phenolic antioxidant.
7 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said metal is bismuth, copper, cadmium, lead, tin, zinc, silver, gold, indium, palladium, platinum, aluminum, antimony, chromium, iron, nickel, rhodium, tantalum, titanium, or vanadium.
8 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said metal is silver.
9 . The module of claim 2 , wherein said metal component is used as a conductive layer.
10 . A polymer interlayer comprising a poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprising 0.001 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
11 . The interlayer of claim 10 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprises 0.1 to 0.4 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
12 . The interlayer of claim 10 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprises 1 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
13 . The interlayer of claim 10 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet further comprises a phenolic antioxidant.
14 . A multilayer laminate comprising
a first substrate;
a metal component disposed in contact with said first substrate;
a poly(vinyl butyral) layer disposed in contact with said metal component, wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 1H-benzotriazole or 1H-benzotriazole salt; and,
a second substrate disposed in contact with said poly(vinyl butyral) layer.
15 . The multilayer laminate of claim 14 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprises 0.1 to 0.4 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
16 . The multilayer laminate of claim 14 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprises 1 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
17 . The multilayer laminate of claim 14 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet comprises 0.001 to 5 weight percent 1H-benzotriazole.
18 . The multilayer laminate of claim 14 , wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) sheet further comprises a phenolic antioxidant.
19 . A method of making a photovoltaic module, comprising:
providing a base substrate;
forming a photovoltaic device on said base substrate, wherein said photovoltaic device comprises a metal component;
disposing a poly(vinyl butyral) layer in contact with said photovoltaic device, wherein said poly(vinyl butyral) layer comprises 1H-benzotriazole or 1H-benzotriazole salt;
disposing a protective substrate in contact with said poly(vinyl butyral) layer; and,
laminating said base substrate, said photovoltaic device, said poly(vinyl butyral) layer, and said protective substrate to form said module.