IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,649,146
Granted Patent B2
US 12,649,146 · App. 18/292,992 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Highly efficient and durable on-device metal sequestering tapes for solar cells and modules

Inventors: Kai Zhu (Littleton, CO); Tao Xu (Naperville, IL)
Assignees: Alliance for Energy Innovation, LLC; Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University
B01J20/22B01J20/261H10F19/804H10F77/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,649,146
App. No.
18/292,992
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a metal-sequestering material and a support material, where the composition is substantially transparent to light having a wavelength greater than or equal to 350 nm, the composition is in the form of a layer having a thickness between 0.1 μm and 1 mm, the metal-sequestering material is capable of absorbing a metal that includes at least one of a post-transition metal, a metalloid, an alkali metal, and/or an alkaline earth metal, and the metal-sequestering material has an absorption capacity for the metal between about 1E-2 g metal/cm 2 and about 1E-7 g metal/cm 2 .

Claims (23)

1 . A roll-to-roll manufacturing method comprising:

forming a stack comprising:

a frontside and a backside with a perovskite layer and at least one of an electrode or a transport layer positioned between the frontside and the backside; and

encapsulating both the frontside and the backside of the stack within a bilayer structure comprising:

a metal-sequestering layer, and

a support layer, wherein:

the bilayer structure is transparent to light having a wavelength greater than or equal to 350 nm, and

the metal-sequestering layer is capable of absorbing a metal comprising at least one of a post-transition metal, a metalloid, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or a combination thereof.

2 . The method of claim 1 , where the bilayer structure has a thickness between 0.1 μm and 1 mm.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-sequestering layer has an absorption capacity for the metal between 1E-2 g metal/cm 2 and 1E-7 g metal/cm 2 .

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises:

a first depositing of the perovskite layer onto the electrode or the transport layer, wherein:

the first depositing is performed using a first liquid-deposition method.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first liquid-deposition method comprises at least one of blade coating, slot-die coating, spray coating, inkjet printing, or a combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the encapsulating comprises a second depositing of the bilayer structure onto the stack.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first depositing is performed such that the perovskite layer and the electrode or the transport layer are deposited onto a continuously moving, flexible substrate.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bilayer structure is flexible.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein, prior to the second depositing, at least one of the metal-sequestering layer, the support layer, or a combination thereof are formed using a second liquid-deposition method comprising at least one of blade coating, slot-die coating, spray coating, inkjet printing, or a combination thereof.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the bilayer structure is positioned on a tube configured to deposit the bilayer structure onto the stack during the second depositing.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises at least one of a plastic, a metal, or a combination thereof.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the support layer comprises at least one of a polymer, a resin, or a combination thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-sequestering layer comprises at least one of an amine group, an amide group, a hydrazine group, an isocyanate group, a nitrile group, a nitrite group, or a combination thereof.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perovskite layer comprises Cs 1-x-y FA x MA y PbI 1-z Br z and each of x, y, and z are independently between zero and one, inclusively.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jun 24, 2024
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 067812/0127 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: ZHU, KAI
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 066275/0202 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63227462 · Jul 30, 2021
Related Publication 20240261757A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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