JP6874317B2 - Encapsulant sheet for solar cell module and solar cell module using it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sealing material sheet for a solar cell module and a solar cell module using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sealing material sheet that can be preferably used for a double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module, and a double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module using the same.

In recent years, due to growing awareness of environmental issues, solar cells have been attracting attention as a clean energy source. Currently, solar cell modules having various forms have been developed and proposed. There are various layers of solar cell modules, but the front protection substrate and back protection are particularly excellent in terms of barrier properties that prevent moisture from entering the module and long-term durability under harsh usage conditions. A solar cell module having a structure in which all the substrates are made of a protective substrate made of glass has also been devised (see Patent Document 1). In this specification, a solar cell module having a structure in which the protective substrates arranged on both outermost surfaces of the module body are glass substrates is referred to as a "double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module".

Conventionally, as a sealing material sheet used for a solar cell module, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (including a double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module) is used from the viewpoint of workability, workability, manufacturing cost, etc. EVA) has been mainly used. However, the EVA resin tends to be gradually decomposed with long-term use, and may generate acetic acid gas that affects the solar cell element. For this reason, in recent years, the demand for encapsulant sheets for solar cell modules using polyethylene-based resin instead of EVA resin has been increasing (see Patent Document 2).

Generally, in a sealing material sheet for a solar cell module using a polyethylene resin as a base resin, transparency and flexibility can be improved by lowering the density. However, lowering the density causes a problem of insufficient heat resistance. Therefore, in the sealing material sheet of Patent Document 2, heat resistance is imparted by a cross-linking agent. In this case, the heat resistance is certainly improved, but if the cross-linking treatment is performed to the extent necessary and sufficient to provide sufficient heat resistance to withstand the use at high temperature for a long period of time, the modularization will occur. There is a problem that the ability to follow the unevenness of the surface of the facing member (hereinafter referred to as "molding characteristic") cannot be maintained. Further, in the manufacturing process in which the cross-linking treatment is indispensable, if the cross-linking progresses during molding, the film-forming property deteriorates. Therefore, it is necessary to consider such as performing the molding at a low temperature and performing the cross-linking reaction again after the molding. Further improvement was required in terms of sexuality.

For example, as an attempt to achieve both heat resistance and molding properties without undergoing cross-linking treatment, a skin layer in which two or more resins having different melting points are mixed and a sealing agent to which a crystal nucleating agent such as inorganic particles is added are added. By forming a multilayer sheet in which a core layer made of a material composition is combined, a sealing material sheet intended to achieve both heat resistance and molding properties while not requiring a cross-linking treatment is disclosed (Patent Document). 3).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-9258164 JP-A-2009-10277 International Publication No. 2012/073971

Double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell modules, which have become widespread in recent years, often have a frameless structure in which a metal frame surrounding the side surface of the module is eliminated (see Patent Document 1). In this case, in addition to both the heat resistance and the molding characteristics described above, due to the structure of the solar cell module, a high tensile shear adhesive strength at room temperature (JIS J6850 adhesive-rigid tensile shear adhesive strength test of the adhesive material) Adhesive strength by method) is required for the encapsulant sheet. There has not yet been a sealing material sheet that can meet all three requirements of heat resistance, molding properties, and high tensile shear adhesive force at room temperature at a high level.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and although it is a sealing material sheet using a polyethylene-based resin, it does not require a cross-linking step, has high productivity, and has heat resistance and molding properties. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing material sheet for a solar cell module, which also has a high tensile shear adhesive force at room temperature at a high level.

As a result of diligent studies, the present inventors have made the encapsulant sheet a multilayer sheet having a structure of a skin layer-core layer-skin layer, and after maintaining the melting point of the core layer at 70 ° C. or higher, the skin layer. It has been found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by containing a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin in a predetermined amount range and further specifying the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin in a specific high molecular weight range. The invention was completed. More specifically, the present invention provides the following.

(1) An encapsulant sheet for a solar cell module, the encapsulant sheet is a multilayer sheet containing a polyethylene resin as a base resin, a core layer, and skin layers arranged on both outermost surfaces. The core layer has a density of 0.880 g / cm ³ or more and 0.930 g / cm ³ or less and a melting point of 70 ° C. or more, and the skin layer has a density of 0.880 g / cm ³ or more and 0. 900 g / cm ³ or less, melting point 90 ° C. or less, the skin layer contains a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin, and the polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in the skin layer is 70,000. A sealing material sheet having a value of 120,000 or less and a polymerized silane amount of 300 ppm or more and 2000 ppm or less in all the resin components of the skin layer.

(2) The encapsulant sheet according to (1), wherein the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in the skin layer has a polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of 90,000 or more and 120,000 or less.

(3) The encapsulant sheet according to (1) or (2), wherein both the core layer and the skin layer have melting points of 70 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower.

(4) A solar cell module in which a transparent front substrate, a sealing material on the light receiving surface side, a solar cell element, a sealing material on the non-light receiving surface side, and a back surface protective substrate are sequentially laminated, and is on the light receiving surface side. A solar cell module in which the sealing material and the sealing material on the non-light receiving surface side are the sealing material sheets according to any one of (1) to (3).

(5) The solar cell module according to (4), wherein both the transparent front substrate and the back surface protective substrate are protective substrates made of glass.

(6) The frameless module according to (5), wherein there is no protective frame that surrounds the side surface of the module laminate sandwiched between glass protective substrates and retains the shape of the module laminate. Solar cell module.

(7) On the surface of the solar cell element, there is a convex portion formed by projecting a part of the surface linearly or in a dot shape, and the convex portion is a sealing material sheet laminated on the surface. From (4) to (4), the thickness of the convex portion embedded inside is 50% or more and 90% or less of the thickness of the encapsulant sheet laminated on the surface of the solar cell element. The solar cell module according to any one of 6).

According to the present invention, although it is a sealing material sheet using a polyethylene-based resin, it does not require a cross-linking process and has high productivity. In addition to heat resistance and molding properties, it also has high tensile shear at room temperature. It is possible to provide a sealing material sheet for a solar cell module having a high level of adhesive strength.

It is sectional drawing which shows typically the layer structure of the sealing material sheet of this invention. It is a drawing which shows typically an example of the layer structure of the double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module which uses the sealing material sheet of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows typically an example of the layer structure of the solar cell module which comprises the sealing material sheet of this invention, and the thin film type solar cell element. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3, which is a drawing for explaining the molding characteristics of the encapsulant sheet of the present invention when used in a thin-film solar cell module. It is a partially enlarged sectional view of the conventional solar cell module which used the conventional sealing material sheet which is inferior in molding characteristics for the thin film type solar cell module.

Hereinafter, the encapsulant composition that can be used for producing the encapsulant sheet for the solar cell module of the present invention, the encapsulant sheet for the solar cell module of the present invention, and the encapsulant sheet of the present invention are used. The solar cell modules that have been used will be described in order.

<Encapsulant composition>
The encapsulant sheet of the present invention can be produced by melt-molding the encapsulant composition described in detail below. As the encapsulant composition, the encapsulant composition for the core layer and the encapsulant composition for the skin layer are used properly for each layer. Then, by forming a multi-layer sheet having a three-layer structure in which the core layer is the inner layer and the skin layer is the outermost layer, each of the encapsulant compositions for the core layer and the skin layer is formed, for example, in FIG. The encapsulant sheet of the present invention represented by the encapsulant sheet 1 shown can be produced. In the present specification, the skin layer refers to a layer arranged on both outermost surfaces of the multilayer encapsulant sheet, and the core layer is an inner layer other than the skin layer in the multilayer encapsulant sheet. Say that. The core layer itself may have a multi-layered internal structure, but a three-layered sealing material sheet 1 in which skin layers are laminated on both sides of the single-layered core layer is typical of the present invention. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the encapsulant sheet 1.

[Encapsulant composition for core layer]
The encapsulant composition for the core layer is a thermoplastic encapsulant composition that uses a polyethylene resin as a base resin, does not contain a cross-linking agent, and does not require a cross-linking step when molding the encapsulant sheet. .. Further, in addition to low-density polyethylene-based resin (LDPE) as a base resin, other resins such as silane-modified polyethylene-based resin and other components are contained in an appropriate amount within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. There may be.

The base resin of the encapsulant composition for the core layer is a low density polyethylene resin (LDPE), a linear low density polyethylene resin (LLDPE), or a metallocene linear low density polyethylene resin (M-LLDPE). Can be preferably used. Above all, from the viewpoint of long-term reliability of the solar cell module, low-density polyethylene-based resin (LDPE) can be particularly preferably used as the encapsulant composition for the core layer. In addition, in this specification, a "base resin" means a resin having the largest content ratio among the resin components of the resin composition in the resin composition containing the base resin.

The encapsulant composition for the core layer preferably contains a predetermined amount of a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin in addition to the above-mentioned base resin. In the encapsulant composition for the core layer, the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin is not necessarily an essential component, but when the encapsulant composition for the core layer, the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin is added, it is made of polystyrene. It is preferable to use a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin having a converted weight average molecular weight of 70,000 or more (hereinafter, this is also referred to as "high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene-based resin").

Regarding the amount of the high molecular weight type silane-modified resin added to the encapsulant composition for the core layer, the amount of the polymerized silane in the total resin components of the core layer 11 is 30 ppm or more and 2000 ppm or less in the core layer. It is preferable that this is contained in the encapsulant composition for use. By containing an appropriate amount of such a high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene resin in the encapsulant composition for the core layer, it contributes to the improvement of the high tensile shear adhesive force of the encapsulant sheet 1 at room temperature. Can be done. The amount of polymerized silane in each layer of the encapsulant can be specified in the resin component by, for example, quantifying the elements in each layer by ICP emission spectrometry or the like. Details of the polymer-type silane-modified resin that can be used for the encapsulant sheet 1 will be described later.

The density of the encapsulant composition for the core layer is 0.880 g / cm ³ or more and 0.930 g / cm ³ or less, preferably 0.880 g / cm ³ or more and 0.920 g / cm ³ or less, more preferably. is 0.885 g / cm ³ or more 0.895 g / cm ³ or less. By setting the density of the encapsulant composition for the core layer within the above range, the encapsulant sheet 1 can be provided with a good balance of heat resistance and molding characteristics without undergoing a cross-linking treatment.

The melting point of the encapsulant composition for the core layer may be 70 ° C. or higher and 110 ° C. or lower, preferably 73 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower. As long as the melting point of the core layer 11 of the encapsulant sheet 1 can be maintained in the above range, polyethylene resins having different melting points can be appropriately mixed to obtain an encapsulant composition for the core layer. For example, according to a resin composition in which three types of polyethylene resins having melting points of 60 ° C., 90 ° C., and 97 ° C. are mixed by 65 parts by mass, 8 parts by mass, and 32 parts by mass, respectively, the melting point of the entire core layer is determined. The temperature can be set to 74 ° C., and an example of blending such a material resin can be exemplified as a preferred resin blending example of a sealing material composition for a core layer.

Here, the melting point in the present specification means an average value of melting points obtained by calculating from each unique melting point of each component contained in the object to be measured and their blending ratio.

For example, the melting point of the encapsulant sheet or each of the resin layers constituting the encapsulant sheet according to this definition can be obtained by measuring by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). When there are a plurality of valley peaks on the DSC curve, the melting point indicated by the peak having the largest peak area can be used as the melting point of the encapsulant sheet or each of the above resin layers.

Further, as another method for specifying the melting point according to the above definition from the encapsulant sheet, when the measured coefficient of linear expansion measured according to JIS K7179 is expressed as a function of the resin temperature, the coefficient of linear expansion decreases from the increase. It is also possible to obtain an approximate method by measuring the linear expansion peak temperature, which is the temperature at the maximum value at the time of turning to. According to this method, the melting point according to the above definition can be specified from the finished product such as the encapsulant sheet within the range of the variation of about 2 ° C. or less.

By keeping the melting point of the encapsulant composition for the core layer at 70 ° C. or higher as described above, the encapsulant sheet 1 can be imparted with the necessary heat resistance. Further, in relation to the heating conditions at the time of melt molding for forming a sheet as a sealing material sheet and at the time of thermal lamination treatment for integration as a solar cell module, a sealing material composition for a core layer. The melting point of the sealant composition is generally about 110 ° C. or lower, and in order to sufficiently enhance the molding characteristics of the encapsulant sheet 1, the melting point of the encapsulant composition for the core layer should be 90 ° C. or lower. Is more preferable.

The melt mass flow rate (MFR) of the encapsulant composition for the core layer may be 3.0 g / 10 min or more and less than 5.0 g / 10 min, and as long as it is MFR 0.8 g / 10 min or more and less than 5.0 g / 10 min. Polyethylene-based resin can be appropriately mixed and used. By setting the MFR of the encapsulant composition for the core layer within the above range, the encapsulant sheet 1 can be provided with heat resistance and molding characteristics in a well-balanced manner.

The MFR in the present specification is a value obtained by the following method unless otherwise specified.
MFR (g / 10min): Measured according to JIS K7210. Specifically, the synthetic resin was heated and pressurized at 190 ° C. in a cylindrical container heated by a heater, and the amount of resin extruded from an opening (nozzle) provided at the bottom of the container was measured per 10 minutes. .. The test machine used an extrusion type plastometer, and the extrusion load was 2.16 kg.
The MFR of the multi-layer encapsulant sheet was measured by the above treatment while all the layers were integrally laminated, and the obtained measured value was taken as the MFR value of the multi-layer encapsulant sheet. ..

[Encapsulant composition for skin layer]
The encapsulant composition for the skin layer is also a thermoplastic encapsulant composition using a polyethylene resin as a base resin and not containing a cross-linking agent, like the encapsulant composition for the core layer. Further, it is the same as the encapsulant composition for the core layer in that it may contain an appropriate amount of other components as long as the effect of the present invention is not impaired. However, it is essential that the encapsulant composition for the skin layer contains a specific amount of a silane-modified polyethylene resin (high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene resin) having a polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of 70,000 or more. The point is different from the encapsulant composition for the core layer.

As the base resin of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer, the low density polyethylene resin (LDPE), the linear low density polyethylene resin (LLDPE), or the metallocene is used as the base resin of the encapsulant composition for the core layer. A linear low density polyethylene resin (M-LLDPE) can be preferably used. Above all, from the viewpoint of molding characteristics, a metallocene-based linear low-density polyethylene-based resin (M-LLDPE) can be particularly preferably used as a composition for a skin layer.

The sealing material composition for the skin layer used for the sealing material sheet 1 further contains a predetermined amount of a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin as an essential resin component in addition to the above-mentioned base resin. The silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in this skin layer composition is also referred to as a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin having a polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of 70,000 or more (hereinafter, also referred to as "high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene-based resin"). Is limited to).

Further, this high molecular weight type silane-modified resin is contained in the encapsulant composition for the skin layer at a ratio such that the amount of polymerized silane in the total resin components of the skin layer is 300 ppm or more and 2000 ppm or less. By including an appropriate amount of such a high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene resin in the encapsulant composition for the skin layer, it is possible to impart extremely high tensile shear adhesive force to the encapsulant sheet 1 at room temperature. .. Details of the polymer-type silane-modified resin that can be used for the encapsulant sheet 1 will be described later.

The density of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer is 0.880 g / cm ³ or more and 0.910 g / cm ³ or less, and more preferably 0.899 g / cm ³ or less. By setting the density of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer in the above range, the adhesion of the encapsulant sheet 1 can be maintained in a preferable range.

The melting point of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer may be 70 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower, preferably 70 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower. As long as the melting point of the skin layer can be maintained in the above range as in the core layer, polyethylene resins having different melting points can be appropriately mixed to obtain a sealing material composition for the skin layer. For example, according to a resin composition in which three types of polyethylene resins having melting points of 60 ° C., 90 ° C., and 97 ° C. are mixed by 65 parts by mass, 20 parts by mass, and 20 parts by mass, respectively, the melting point of the entire skin layer can be determined. Although the temperature can be set to 73 ° C., a compounding example of such a material resin can be exemplified as a preferable resin compounding example of the sealing material composition for the core layer. By setting the melting point of the sealing material composition for the skin layer to 70 ° C. or higher, the heat resistance required for the sealing material sheet 1 can be imparted. Further, by setting the melting point of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer to 90 ° C. or lower, the molding characteristics of the encapsulant sheet at the time of integration as a solar cell module can be maintained in a preferable range.

The melt mass flow rate (MFR) of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer may be 3.0 g / 10 min or more and less than 5.0 g / 10 min, and as long as it is MFR 0.8 g / 10 min or more and less than 5.0 g / 10 min. Polyethylene-based resin can be appropriately mixed and used. By setting the MFR of the encapsulant composition for the skin layer within the above range, the encapsulant sheet 1 can be provided with heat resistance and molding characteristics in a well-balanced manner.

[Silane-modified polyethylene resin]
It is essential that the encapsulant sheet 1 contains a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin at least in the skin layer 12, and further, the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in the skin layer 12 is "high". "Molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene resin" is essential. Hereinafter, a general "silane-modified polyethylene-based resin" will be described first, and then details of the "high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene-based resin", which is an important constituent requirement of the present invention, will be described.

The silane-modified polyethylene-based resin is obtained by graft-polymerizing a linear low-density polyethylene-based resin (LLDPE) or the like as a main chain with an ethylenically unsaturated silane compound as a side chain. Further, the "silane-modified polyethylene-based resin" in the present specification is obtained by copolymerizing at least an α-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated silane compound as a comonomer and, if necessary, another unsaturated monomer as a comonomer. It is a copolymer, and includes a modified product or a condensate of the copolymer.

Further, as the copolymer of the α-olefin and the ethylenically unsaturated silane compound or the modified or condensed product thereof, for example, one or more kinds of the α-olefin and, if necessary, other unsaturated monomers. One or more of them may be polymerized simultaneously or stepwise in the presence of a radical polymerization initiator and, if necessary, a chain transfer agent, using the desired reaction vessel, and then the polymerization thereof. One or more of the ethylenically unsaturated silane compounds are graft-copolymerized with the polyolefin-based polymer produced by the above, and if necessary, a graft copolymer produced by the copolymer is formed. A copolymer of α-olefin and ethylenically unsaturated silane compound or a modified or condensed product thereof can be produced by modifying or condensing a portion of the silane compound.

Examples of α-olefins include ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, isobutylene, 1-pentene, 2-methyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, and the like. One or more selected from 1-nonene and 1-decene can be used.

Examples of the ethylenically unsaturated silane compound include vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltripropoxysilane, vinyltriisopropoxysilane, vinyltributoxysilane, vinyltripentyloxysilane, vinyltriphenoxysilane, and vinyltri. One or more selected from benzyloxysilane, vinyltrimethylenedioxysilane, vinyltriethylenedioxysilane, vinylpropionyloxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, and vinyltricarboxysilane can be used.

As the other unsaturated monomer, for example, one or more selected from vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, and vinyl alcohol can be used.

Examples of the radical polymerization initiator include organic peroxides such as lauroyl peroxide, dipropionyl peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, di-t-butyl peroxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, and t-butyl peroxyisobutyrate. A substance, molecular oxygen, azo compounds such as azobisisobutyronitrile azoisobutylvaleronitrile, and the like can be used.

Examples of the chain transfer agent include paraffinic hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, butane and pentane, α-olefins such as propylene, 1-butane and 1-hexene, and aldehydes such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and n-butylaldehyde. , Acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, ketones such as cyclohexanone, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like can be used.

Examples of the method of modifying or condensing the portion of the silane compound constituting the random copolymer or the method of modifying or condensing the portion of the silane compound constituting the graft copolymer include tin, zinc, iron, lead and the like. Using metal carboxylates such as cobalt, organic metal compounds such as titanic acid esters and chelated products, organic bases, inorganic acids, and silanol condensation catalysts such as organic acids, α-olefins and ethylenically unsaturated silanes are used. Modification or modification of the copolymer of α-olefin and ethylenically unsaturated silane compound by performing dehydration condensation reaction between silanols of the silane compound portion constituting the random copolymer or graft copolymer with the compound. Examples thereof include a method for producing a condensate.

As the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin, any of a random copolymer, an alternating copolymer, a block copolymer, and a graft copolymer can be preferably used, but the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin may be a graft copolymer. More preferably, a graft copolymer obtained by polymerizing polyethylene for polymerization as a main chain and an ethylenically unsaturated silane compound as a side chain is further preferable. Since such a graft copolymer has a high degree of freedom of silanol groups that contribute to adhesive strength, it is possible to improve the adhesion of the encapsulant sheet to other members in the solar cell module, particularly to a glass substrate or the like. it can.

The content of the ethylenically unsaturated silane compound in the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin is, for example, about 0.001 to 15% by mass, preferably 0.01 to 5% by mass, based on the total mass of the copolymer. About%, particularly preferably about 0.05 to 2% by mass is desirable. When the content of the ethylenically unsaturated silane compound constituting the copolymer of the α-olefin and the ethylenically unsaturated silane compound is within the above range, the adhesion of the encapsulant sheet to the glass is remarkably improved. To do. If the content of the silane compound exceeds the above range, the tensile elongation and heat-sealing property of the encapsulant sheet tend to be inferior, which is not preferable.

In the encapsulant sheet 1, among the silane-modified polyethylene-based resins described above, a "high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene-based resin" having a specific molecular weight range is essential for the encapsulant composition for the skin layer. Used as an additive resin for.

The molecular weight of this high molecular weight type silane-modified polyethylene resin used as an essential additive resin in the encapsulant composition for the skin layer is a polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of 70,000 or more and 120,000 or less, preferably 90,000 or more and 120,000 or less. Is. If the molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin exceeds 120,000, the compatibility with the base resin, which is assumed to be preferably about 3.0 g / 10 min or more and 5.0 g / 10 min or less, deteriorates. Not preferred.

The molecular weight of each resin component constituting the encapsulant sheet 1 can be measured by using a conventionally known GPC method. Since polyolefin is difficult to dissolve in a solvent at room temperature, it is preferable to use trichlorobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene or the like as a solvent for measurement at a high temperature GPC of 140 to 150 ° C. In particular, in the case of the encapsulant sheet 1, in order to measure the molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene resin contained in the skin layer 12, the skin layer of the encapsulant sheet 1, which is a multilayer sheet, is separated and GPC-FTIR. By combining the molecular weight measurement and the component analysis by the above, it is possible to specify the molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin by reading the molecular weight corresponding to the component identified by IR. When Ni (pieces) of polymer having a molecular weight of Mi (g / mol) is present in the skin layer of the encapsulant sheet 1, the number average molecular weight Mn, the weight average molecular weight Mw, and the degree of dispersion d are defined by the following formulas, respectively. Will be done.
Number average molecular weight Mn = Σ (MiNi) / ΣNi
Weight average molecular weight Mw = Σ (Mi ² Ni) / ΣMiNi
Dispersity d = Mw / Mn

[Other additive ingredients]
Adhesion to each of the encapsulant compositions for the core layer and the skin layer constituting the encapsulant sheet 1, and the encapsulant composition constituting the encapsulant sheet 1, particularly the encapsulant composition for the skin layer, as appropriate. An improver can be added. As the adhesion improver, a known silane coupling agent can be used, but a silane coupling agent having an epoxy group (hereinafter, also referred to as "epoxy-based silane coupling agent") or a silane having a mercapto group. Couplings (hereinafter, also referred to as "mercapto-based silane coupling agents") can be particularly preferably used.

Each encapsulant composition for the core layer and the skin layer may further contain other components. For example, components such as a weather resistant masterbatch for imparting weather resistance to a sealing material sheet, various fillers, a light stabilizer, an ultraviolet absorber, and a heat stabilizer are exemplified. These contents vary depending on the particle shape, density, etc., but are preferably in the range of 0.001% by mass or more and about 5% by mass in the encapsulant composition. By containing these additives, it is possible to impart stable mechanical strength over a long period of time and an effect of preventing yellowing, cracking, etc. to the sealing material sheet.

<Encapsulant sheet>
The encapsulant sheet of the present invention can be produced by melt-molding the encapsulant composition described above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing material sheet 1 has a core layer 11, and skin layers 12 are formed on both sides of the core layer 11. However, even in the case of a sealing material sheet in which the core layer has a multi-layer structure and other functional layers are arranged in the core layer, the core layer and the skin layer having the constituent requirements of the present invention are provided, and the core layer and the skin layer are provided. As long as it is a sealing material sheet having other constituent requirements of the present invention, it is within the scope of the present invention.

The average MFR of the encapsulant sheet 1 having a three-layer structure including the core layer 11 and the skin layer 12 is 3.0 g / 10 min or more and less than 5.0 g / 10 min, and 3.3 g / 10 min or more and 3. It is preferably less than 8 g / 10 min. When the MFR of the encapsulant sheet 1 is less than 5.0 g / 10 min, the required heat resistance of the encapsulant sheet 1 can be provided, and the MFR of the encapsulant sheet 1 is 3.0 g / 10 min or more. Therefore, the sealing material sheet 1 can be provided with the necessary molding characteristics.

The total thickness of the encapsulant sheet 1 having a three-layer structure including the core layer 11 and the skin layer 12 is preferably 250 μm or more and 600 μm or less, and more preferably 300 μm or more and 550 μm or less. If the total thickness is less than 250 μm, the impact cannot be sufficiently mitigated, but if the total thickness is 250 μm or more, for example, even when the sealing material sheet 1 is thinned to a total thickness of about 250 μm. , The molding characteristics and the heat resistance can be combined at a sufficiently preferable level. If the total thickness exceeds 600 μm, it is difficult to obtain the effect of further improving the impact mitigation effect, it is not possible to meet the demand for thinning the solar cell module, and it is uneconomical, which is not preferable.

The thickness of the core layer 11 in the sealing material sheet 1 is 200 μm or more and 400 μm or less, preferably 250 μm or more and 350 μm or less. The thickness of each layer of the skin layer 12 is 30 μm or more and 100 μm or less, preferably 35 μm or more and 80 μm or less. The total thickness of the two skin layers 12 laminated on both sides of the core layer is 1/20 or more and 1/3 or less of the total thickness of the encapsulant sheet 1, preferably 1/15. It is 1/4 or less. By setting the thickness of each layer of the sealing material sheet 1 in such a range, the heat resistance and molding characteristics of the sealing material sheet 1 can be maintained in a good range.

The encapsulant sheet 1 is formed into a sheet by a molding method usually used in a normal thermoplastic resin, that is, various molding methods such as injection molding, extrusion molding, hollow molding, compression molding, and rotary molding. As an example of the method of forming a sheet when the sealing material sheet is a multilayer film, there is a method of forming by coextrusion with three types of melt-kneading extruders.

However, in any of the above molding methods, the melt molding temperature in the production of the encapsulant sheet 1 is the melting point of the base resin of the encapsulant composition for the core layer contained in the encapsulant composition + 30 ° C. or higher. Is preferable. Specifically, it is preferably a high temperature of 175 ° C. to 230 ° C., and more preferably a high temperature of 190 ° C. to 210 ° C. Since the sealing material composition used for the sealing material sheet 1 is a thermoplastic composition that does not contain a cross-linking agent, it is not necessary to consider inconvenient control of the progress of cross-linking during melt molding. As a result, in the production of a sealing material sheet using a polyethylene-based resin as a base resin, a method is solved from the temperature limitation when a thermosetting type sealing material composition that requires a cross-linking treatment, which has been generally used in the past, is used. The melt molding temperature can be set in a higher temperature range in order to improve the productivity. As a result, the encapsulant sheet 1 can be manufactured with higher productivity than the conventional thermosetting encapsulant sheet.

<Solar cell module>
The encapsulant sheet 1 can be universally used in various conventionally known solar cell modules. Generally, in a solar cell module, a sealing material is arranged so as to sandwich and seal the solar cell element on both sides, but the sealing material sheet 1 is arranged as a sealing material on both sides of the solar cell element. Alternatively, the encapsulant sheet 1 may be used only as the encapsulant on either side.

As described above, the encapsulant sheet can be used for various solar cell modules. Among them, a solar cell module having a double-sided glass protective substrate having a laminated glass structure, or a solar cell such as a thin-film solar cell module, for example. It can be particularly preferably used for a solar cell module in which a convex portion having a relatively large height such as a lead wire is formed on the element.

[Double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of the double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module 10 that can be constructed by using the sealing material sheet 1 of the present invention. The solar cell module 10 includes a transparent front substrate 2, a sealing material 1A on the light receiving surface side, a solar cell element 3, a sealing material 1B on the non-light receiving surface side, and a back surface protective substrate 4 from the light receiving surface side of the incident light. The solar cell elements 3 are laminated in this order, and the solar cell element 3 is sealed between the sealing material 1A on the light receiving surface side and the sealing material 1B on the non-light receiving surface side.

In the double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module 10, both the transparent front substrate 2 and the back surface protective substrate 4 are protective substrates made of glass. As the protective substrate made of glass, various glass plate materials conventionally used as a transparent substrate material constituting the solar cell module can be used without particular limitation. The solar cell module 10 may include members other than the above members.

Further, the solar cell element 3 is not particularly limited. Not limited to crystalline silicon solar cells manufactured using a single crystal silicon substrate or a polycrystalline silicon substrate, a thin film solar cell (CIGS) made of amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, a chalcopyrite-based compound, or the like is also preferably used. be able to.

As the back surface protective substrate 4, a resin sheet having physical properties usually required for the protective layer arranged on the outermost layer of the solar cell module, such as water vapor barrier property and weather resistance, can be used. Further, the back surface protection substrate 4 may be a glass substrate similar to the transparent front surface substrate 2. Since the sealing material sheet 1 has good adhesion to both metal and glass, it can be preferably used even when the back surface protective substrate 4 is a glass substrate.

In a solar cell module having a general structure in which the back surface protective substrate is made of a weather-resistant resin film, usually, in order to maintain the shape of a laminate made of each sheet-like member constituting the solar cell module, A protective frame made of metal or the like is provided around the side surface of the laminated body. However, in the case of the double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module 10 sandwiched between the protective substrates made of glass, such a protective frame is eliminated in order to reduce the weight, so-called frameless structure solar cell module. Are also offered in large numbers.

In this frameless double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module 10, high tensile shear adhesive strength at room temperature (JIS J6850 adhesive-adhesive strength by tensile shear adhesive strength test method of rigid adherend) is sealed. Required for stopping material. The encapsulant sheet 1 of the present invention is frameless because it is a encapsulant sheet having a special tensile shear adhesive strength by specifying the molecular weight of the adhesive resin contained in the skin layer in a high range. It can be particularly preferably used for the double-sided glass protective substrate type solar cell module 10 having a structure.

[Thin film solar cell module]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the layer structure of the thin-film solar cell module 10A that can be constructed by using the sealing material sheet 1 of the present invention. The solar cell module 10A includes a transparent front substrate 2, a thin-film solar cell element 3 arranged on the surface of the transparent front substrate 2, a sealing material (sealing material sheet 1), and a sealing material (sealing material sheet 1) from the light receiving surface side of the incident light. The back surface protective substrate 4 is laminated in order. In the thin-film solar cell module 10A, the sealing material (sealing material sheet 1) is laminated on the non-light receiving surface side of the solar cell element 3.

Here, in the solar cell module 10A, as shown in FIG. 4, unevenness due to the metal electrode 31 and the lead wire 32 for collecting electricity exists on the surface of the solar cell element 3 on the non-light receiving surface side. When a conventional encapsulant sheet using a polyethylene-based resin as a base resin is used, if heat resistance is to be ensured by cross-linking or simply increasing the density, as shown in FIG. 5, the void V due to lack of molding characteristics Formations may occur, which has been a problem.

However, when the encapsulant sheet 1 having both heat resistance and molding characteristics at a high level is arranged on the uneven surface, the encapsulant sheet 1 is not the solar cell element 3 as shown in FIG. It is possible to sufficiently wrap around the unevenness of the metal electrode 31 and the lead wire 32 for collecting electricity existing on the surface on the light receiving surface side, and prevent the formation of the above-mentioned void V. That is, the sealing material sheet 1 can be particularly preferably used when the surface of the solar cell element has irregularities formed by convex portions such as lead wires 32 as in the solar cell module 10A. When the thickness of the convex portion of the unevenness is 50% or more and 90% or less of the thickness of the sealing material sheet 1, the molding characteristics of the sealing material sheet are particularly well exhibited, and as described above, the solar cell The formation of voids V due to the presence of irregularities on the surface of the element can be sufficiently prevented.

More specifically, when the lead wire 32 is a lead wire having a thickness (d ₁ ) of about 250 μm or more, the sealing material sheet 1 exerts a special effect remarkably different from that of the conventional product. .. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the thick lead wire 32 is arranged, when the sealing material sheet 1 made of a conventional general polyethylene resin is arranged on the uneven surface, it is common. _{As a rough guide, when the thickness (d 1} ) of the lead wire 32 with respect to the thickness (d ₂ ) of the sealing material sheet 1 exceeds 50%, the formation of the above-mentioned void V becomes a problem. It often became. However, as shown in FIG. 4, when the encapsulant sheet 1 is arranged on such an uneven surface, _{the thickness (d 1} ) of the lead wire 32 with respect _{to the thickness (d 2) of the encapsulant sheet 1} ) Is 90% or less, the formation of the above-mentioned void V can be sufficiently prevented. In the present invention, when there is a state in which a plurality of lead wires are laminated, such as when the lead wires are arranged so as to intersect with each other, the plurality of lead wires in the laminated portion The total thickness is considered to be the "lead wire thickness", that is, the "convex thickness" as described above.

[Manufacturing method of solar cell module]
In the solar cell module 10, the constituent members of the solar cell module including the transparent front substrate 2, the sealing material 1A on the light receiving surface side, the solar cell element 3, the sealing material 1B on the non-light receiving surface side, the back surface protective substrate 4, and the like are sequentially arranged. After laminating, they are integrated by vacuum suction or the like, and then, by a molding method such as a lamination method, the above-mentioned members can be heat-bonded and molded as an integrally molded body.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following Examples.

<Manufacturing of encapsulant sheet for solar cell module>
The raw materials of the encapsulant composition described below are mixed at the ratios (parts by mass) shown in Table 1 below, and are used for the encapsulant composition for the core layer and the skin layer of the encapsulant sheet of Examples and Comparative Examples, respectively. It was used as a sealing material composition. Each encapsulant composition is used for a core layer and a skin layer at an extrusion temperature of 210 ° C. and a take-up speed of 1.1 m / min using a φ30 mm extruder and a film forming machine having a T-die having a width of 200 mm. Each resin sheet was produced, and each of these resin sheets was laminated to produce an encapsulant sheet having a three-layer structure of Examples and Comparative Examples having a core layer and skin layers arranged on both outermost surfaces. The thickness of each encapsulant sheet of Examples and Comparative Examples was 450 μm in total thickness. Regarding the ratio of the thickness of each layer of the three-layer structure encapsulant sheet of Examples and Comparative Examples, the thickness ratio of the skin layer: core layer: skin layer was 1: 8: for each encapsulant sheet. 1 (the total thickness of the skin layer (total of the two layers) is 1/4 of the total thickness of the encapsulant sheet). In Comparative Example 5, a single-layer encapsulant sheet having a thickness of 450 μm was formed.

The following raw materials were used as the material resin of the encapsulant composition for molding each resin sheet for the encapsulant sheet.
Polyethylene resins 1 to 5 (indicated as "PE 1 to 5" in the table, respectively)
: All are metallocene-based linear low-density polyethylene-based resins (M-LLDPE). Table 1 shows the density, melting point, and MFR at 190 ° C.
Silane-modified polyethylene resin 1 (denoted as "PS1" in the table)
: With respect to 100 parts by mass of a metallocene-based linear low-density polyethylene-based resin having a density of 0.900 g / cm ³ and an MFR of 2.0 g / 10 minutes, 2 parts by mass of vinyltrimethoxysilane and a radical generator (reaction). A silane-modified polyethylene-based resin obtained by mixing 0.15 parts by mass of dicumyl peroxide as a catalyst), melting and kneading at 200 ° C. Density 0.900 g / cm ³ , MFR 1.0 g / 10 minutes. Melting point 90 ° C.
Silane-modified polyethylene resin 2 (denoted as "PS2" in the table)
: With respect to 100 parts by mass of metallocene-based linear low-density polyethylene-based resin having a density of 0.880 ^{g / cm 3} and an MFR of 3.5 g / 10 minutes, 2 parts by mass of vinyltrimethoxysilane and a radical generator (reaction). A silane-modified polyethylene-based resin obtained by mixing 0.15 parts by mass of dicumyl peroxide as a catalyst), melting and kneading at 200 ° C. Density 0.880 g / cm ³ , MFR 2.0 g / 10 minutes. Melting point 60 ° C.
Silane-modified polyethylene resin 3 (denoted as "PS3" in the table)
: With respect to 100 parts by mass of metallocene-based linear low-density polyethylene-based resin having a density of 0.880 g / cm ³ and an MFR of 30.0 g / 10 minutes, 2 parts by mass of vinyltrimethoxysilane and a radical generator (reaction). A silane-modified polyethylene-based resin obtained by mixing 0.15 parts by mass of dicumyl peroxide as a catalyst), melting and kneading at 200 ° C. Density 0.885 g / cm ³ , MFR 13.0 g / 10 minutes. Melting point 58 ° C.
: 2 parts by mass of vinyltrimethoxysilane and 0.15 parts by mass of dicumyl peroxide as a radical generator (reaction catalyst) are mixed with 100 parts by mass of the base resin i, melted and kneaded at 200 ° C. A silane-modified polyethylene resin having a density of 0.885 ^{g / cm 3} and an MFR of 13 g / 10 minutes was obtained. Melting point 58 ° C.

<Weight average molecular weight of skin layer>
The polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in each of the skin layers of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 was measured by the above-mentioned measuring method using the GPC method. The results are shown in Table 2.

<Evaluation example 1: Molding characteristics>
A lead wire (250 μm diameter) was placed on the surface of a white plate tempered glass having a flat surface, and the lead wires were covered and the encapsulant sheets of Examples and Comparative Examples cut into 150 mm × 150 mm were laminated. The glass was subjected to vacuum heating laminator treatment at a set temperature of 150 ° C., vacuuming for 3 minutes, and atmospheric pressure pressurization for 7 minutes, and samples for evaluating solar cell modules were obtained for each of Examples and Comparative Examples. The resin temperature (reached temperature) of the encapsulant sheet during the laminating during this heat treatment was 147 ° C. These solar cell module evaluation samples were visually observed and their molding characteristics were evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) A: Completely follows the unevenness of the base material surface facing the encapsulant sheet. No void formation was observed.
B: Up to 5 bubbles within ^{2 mm 2 were observed.}
C: A part of the sealing material sheet did not completely follow the unevenness of the base material surface facing the surface, and a partially laminated defective portion (void) was formed in the vicinity of the lead wire.
The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 as "molding characteristics".

<Evaluation example 2: Heat resistance test>
A heat-resistant creep test was performed as a heat-resistant test. One encapsulant sheet of Examples and Comparative Examples cut out to a size of 5 cm × 7.5 cm was placed on the same glass plate as in Evaluation Example 1 above, and the same glass plate as in Evaluation Example 1 having a size of 5 cm × 7.5 cm was placed on top of it. A sample for evaluation was prepared by stacking and performing vacuum heating laminator treatment under the same conditions as in Evaluation Example 1. After that, the large-sized glass was placed vertically and left at 90 ° C. for 12 hours, and the moving distance (mm) of the 5 cm × 7.5 cm glass plate after the standing was measured and evaluated. The evaluation was performed according to the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) A: 0.0 mm
B: More than 0.0 mm and less than 1.0 mm
C: 1.0 mm or more The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 as "heat resistance".

<Evaluation Example 3: Tensile Shear Adhesive Strength>
The tensile shear adhesive strength, which is an index of adaptability to the double-sided glass protective substrate type module, was measured. The measurement was carried out by the test method according to JIS K7197. Using two glass plates of the same type as in Evaluation Example 1, a sealing material sheet of Examples and Comparative Examples cut out to a size of 2.5 cm × 1.27 cm was placed between the two glass plates and evacuated under the same conditions as in Evaluation Example 1. A sample for evaluation was prepared by performing a heating laminator treatment and bringing them into close contact with each other. After that, the tensile shear adhesive strength was measured and evaluated by the above test method at a tensile speed of 1.27 mm / min. The evaluation was performed according to the following criteria.
(Evaluation criteria) A: 1000N or more
B: 500N or more and less than 1000N
C: Less than 500N The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 as "tensile shear adhesive strength".

From Tables 1 to 4, the encapsulant sheet of the present invention is an encapsulant sheet using a polyethylene-based resin, but does not require a cross-linking step, has high productivity, and has heat resistance and molding characteristics. Furthermore, it can be seen that it is a sealing material sheet for a solar cell module that also has a high tensile shear adhesive force at room temperature at a high level.

1 Encapsulant sheet 11 Core layer 12 Skin layer 2 Transparent front substrate 3 Solar cell element 31 Metal electrode 32 Lead wire 4 Back surface protection substrate 10 Solar cell module

Claims (6)

A sealing material sheet for solar cell modules
The encapsulant sheet is a multilayer sheet using a polyethylene-based resin as a base resin and including a core layer and skin layers arranged on both outermost surfaces.
The core layer has a density of more than 0.915 g / cm ³ and 0.930 g / cm ³ or less, and a melting point of 70 ° C. or more.
The skin layer has a density in 0.880 g / cm ³ or more 0.900 g / cm ³ or less, a melting point 90 ° C. or less,
The skin layer contains a silane-modified polyethylene-based resin, and the polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene-based resin contained in the skin layer is 70,000 or more and 120,000 or less, and all resin components of the skin layer. A sealing material sheet in which the amount of polymerized silane is 300 ppm or more and 2000 ppm or less. The encapsulant sheet according to claim 1, wherein the polystyrene-equivalent weight average molecular weight of the silane-modified polyethylene resin contained in the skin layer is 90,000 or more and 120,000 or less. Transparent front substrate, sealing material on the light-receiving surface side, the solar cell element, a sealing material of a non-light-receiving surface side, the back side protective substrate, a solar cell module formed by sequentially stacking, sealing prior Symbol non-light-receiving surface side A solar cell module in which the stopping material is the sealing material sheet according to claim 1 or 2. The solar cell module according to claim 3 , wherein both the transparent front substrate and the back surface protective substrate are protective substrates made of glass. The solar cell module according to claim 4 , which is a frameless module in which there is no protective frame that surrounds the side surface of the module laminate sandwiched between glass protective substrates and retains the shape of the module laminate. .. On the surface of the solar cell element, there is a convex portion formed by projecting a part of the surface in a linear or dot shape, and the convex portion is buried inside the encapsulant sheet laminated on the surface. It's crowded
The sun according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein the thickness of the convex portion is 50% or more and 90% or less of the thickness of the sealing material sheet laminated on the surface of the solar cell element. Battery module.

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