Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
  • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
  • H10F77/20—Electrodes
  • H10F77/206—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers
  • H10F77/211—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers for photovoltaic cells
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/02—Elements
  • C08K3/08—Metals
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L71/00—Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B1/00—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
  • H01B1/20—Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material
  • H01B1/22—Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
  • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
  • H10F77/20—Electrodes
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Definitions

• the invention is directed to a polymer thick film (PTF) silver conductor composition for use in Thin-Film photovoltaic cells.
• PTF polymer thick film
• the PTF silver composition is used as a screen-printed grid on top of a Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) such as Indium Tin Oxide.
• TCO Transparent Conductive Oxide
• the invention is directed to a polymer thick film composition
• a polymer thick film composition comprising: (a) silver flake (b) organic medium comprising (1 ) organic polymeric binder; (2) solvent; and (3) printing aids.
• the composition may be processed at a time and temperature necessary to remove all solvent.
• the silver flakes may be 76.0-92.0 weight percent of the total composition
• the phenoxy resin may be 2.0 to 6.5 weight percent of the total composition
• the organic medium may be 8.0-24.0 weight percent of the total composition.
• the invention is further directed to method(s) of electrode grid formation on Thin-Film Photovoltaic Cells using such compositions and to articles formed from such methods and/or compositions.
• the invention describes a polymer thick film silver composition for use in Thin-Film Photovoltaic (PV) cells. It is typically used so as to improve the electrical efficiency of the cell. A grid-like pattern of Ag is printed on top of the Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO).
• TCO Transparent Conductive Oxide
• Thin-film PV cells are usually characterized by a light-absorbing semiconductor such as amorphous silicon, Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS), or Cadmium Telluride. This distinguishes them from the traditional crystalline silicon-based PV cells.
• Thin-film refers to the thickness of the semiconductor which is typically 2 microns or so for the Thin-Film cells as opposed to 30-50 microns for crystalline silicon.
• Thin-Film and c-Silicon PV cells Another difference between Thin-Film and c-Silicon PV cells is the temperature limitations involved. Thin-Film cells must be processed at less than 200 0 C as the semiconductor and/or the substrate used in Thin-Film cannot withstand high temperatures. The traditional c-Silicon PV cells may be processed at temperatures up to 800 0 C. Thus, the use of a PTF Ag composition as the top electrode grid is required as PTF compositions themselves are only stable up to approximately 200 0 C.
• a thick film composition comprises a functional phase that imparts appropriate electrically functional properties to the composition.
• the functional phase comprises electrically functional powders dispersed in an organic medium that acts as a carrier for the functional phase.
• the composition is fired to burn out the organics and to impart the electrically functional properties.
• the organics remain as an integral part of the composition after drying. Prior to firing, a processing requirement may include an optional heat treatment such as drying, curing, reflow, and others known to those skilled in the art of thick film technology.
• Organics comprise polymer or resin components of a thick film composition.
• the main components of the thick film conductor composition are a conductive powder dispersed in an organic medium, which includes polymer resin and solvent. The components are discussed herein below.
• the conductive powders in the present thick film composition are Ag conductor powders and may comprise Ag metal powder, alloys of Ag metal powder, or mixtures thereof.
• Various particle diameters and shapes of the metal powder are contemplated.
• the conductive powder may include any shape silver powder, including spherical particles, flakes (rods, cones, plates), and mixtures thereof.
• the conductive powder may include silver flakes.
• the particle size distribution of the conductive powders may be 1 to 100 microns; in a further embodiment, 2-10 microns.
• the surface area/weight ratio of the silver particles may be in the range of 0.1-2.0 m 2 /g. In a further embodiment, the surface area/weight ratio of the silver particles may be in the range of 0.3- 1.0 m 2 /g. In a further embodiment, the surface area/weight ratio of the silver particles may be in the range of 0.4-0.7 m 2 /g.
• metals may be added to silver conductor compositions to improve the properties of the conductor.
• Some examples of such metals include: gold, silver, copper, nickel, aluminum, platinum, palladium, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, tin, indium, lanthanum, gadolinium, boron, ruthenium, cobalt, titanium, yttrium, europium, gallium, sulfur, zinc, silicon, magnesium, barium, cerium, strontium, lead, antimony, conductive carbon, and combinations thereof and others common in the art of thick film compositions.
• the additional metal(s) may comprise up to about 1.0 percent by weight of the total composition.
• the silver flakes may be present at 76 to 92 wt %, 77 to 88 wt %, or 78 to 83 wt % of the total weight of the composition.
• the powders are typically mixed with an organic medium (vehicle) by mechanical mixing to form a paste like composition, called "pastes", having suitable consistency and rheology for printing.
• An organic medium vehicle
• inert liquids can be used as organic medium.
• the organic medium must be one in which the solids are dispersible with an adequate degree of stability.
• the rheological properties of the medium must be such that they lend good application properties to the composition. Such properties include: dispersion of solids with an adequate degree of stability, good application of composition, appropriate viscosity, thixotropy, appropriate wettability of the substrate and the solids, a good drying rate, and a dried film strength sufficient to withstand rough handling.
• the polymer resin may include a phenoxy resin which allows high weight loading of silver flake and thus helps achieve both good adhesion to Indium Tin Oxide substrates and low contact resistivity, two critical properties for silver electrodes in Thin-Film Photovoltaic Cells.
• the phenoxy resin may be 2.0 to 6.5 wt %, 2.2 to 5.9 wt %, or 2.5 to 5.7 wt % of the total weight of the composition. In an embodiment, the phenoxy resin may be 1.5 to 6 weight percent of the total composition.
• Solvents suitable for use in the polymer thick film composition are recognized by one of skill in the art and include acetate and terpenes such as alpha- or beta-terpineol or mixtures thereof with other solvents such as kerosene, dibutylphthalate, butyl carbitol, butyl carbitol acetate, hexylene glycol and high boiling alcohols and alcohol esters.
• the solvent may include one or more components selected from the group consisting of: Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether Acetate (carbitol acetate), DiBasic Ester, and C-11 Ketone.
• volatile liquids for promoting rapid hardening after application on the substrate may be included in the vehicle.
• solvents such as glycol ethers, ketones, esters and other solvents of like boiling points (in the range of 180 0 C to 250 0 C), and mixtures thereof may be used.
• the preferred mediums are based on glycol ethers and ⁇ -terpineol.
• Various combinations of these and other solvents are formulated to obtain the viscosity and volatility requirements desired.
• the organic medium may be present at 8.0 to 24.0 wt %, 10.0 to 22.0 wt %, or 12.0 to 21.0 wt % of the total weight of the composition.
• the ratio of Ag to phenoxy resin may be between
• the ratio of Ag to phenoxy resin may be between 15:1 and 30:1.
• the polymer thick film silver composition also known as a "paste" is typically deposited on a substrate, such as sputtered polyester, that is impermeable to gases and moisture.
• the substrate can also be a sheet of flexible material, such as an impermeable plastic such as polyester, for example polyethylene terephthalate, or a composite material made up of a combination of plastic sheet with optional metallic or dielectric layers deposited thereupon.
• the substrate can be a build-up of layers with metalized (stainless steel) polyester followed by the semiconductor layer (CIGS, for example), followed by a thin CdS layer, followed by sputtered Indium Tin Oxide.
• Zinc Oxide may be used in place of Indium Tin Oxide as the Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) of the Thin-Film Solar Cell.
• the deposition of the polymer thick film silver composition is performed preferably by screen printing, although other deposition techniques such as stencil printing, syringe dispensing or coating techniques can be utilized. In the case of screen-printing, the screen mesh size controls the thickness of deposited thick film.
• the deposited thick film is dried by exposure to heat for typically 10- 15 min at 140 0 C, thus forming a thin-film solar cell.
• the PTF silver electrode paste was prepared by mixing silver flake with an average particle size of 7 ⁇ m (range was 2-15 microns) with an organic medium composed of polyhydroxyether resin (also known as Phenoxy resin) available from Phenoxy Associates, Inc. The molecular weight of the resin was approximately 20,000. A solvent was used to dissolve the phenoxy resin completely prior to adding the silver flake. That solvent was Carbitol Acetate (Eastman Chemical).
• composition silver conductor C is given below:
• This composition was mixed for 30 minutes on a planetary mixer.
• composition was then transferred to a three-roll mill where it was subjected to two passes at 100 and 200 psi. At this point, the composition was used to screen print a silver grid pattern on top of Indium Tin Oxide (80 ohm/sq resistivity) sputtered polyester. Using a 280 mesh stainless steel screen, a series of lines were printed, and the silver paste was dried at 150C for 15 min. in a forced air box oven. The contact resistivity was then measured as 2 x 10 -3 ohm cm2. As a comparison, a standard composition such as silver conductor A could not be measured as it has poor adhesion to ITO. Another standard product such as silver conductor B showed 3 x 10 -1 ohm cm2. This unexpected large improvement in contact resistivity for silver conductor C, a key property for Thin-Film PV silver compositions, enables it to be used for most applications and improves PV cell efficiency.
• a summary table appears below:
• PTF silver electrode paste D was prepared by mixing silver flake with an average particle size of 7 um with an organic medium composed of polyhydroxyether (Phenoxy resin) as per example 1.
• the solvent used was the same as in Example 1 (Carbitol Acetate).
• the composition of D is given below:
• Example 2 The composition was mixed and roll-milled as per Example 1.
• the paste was screen-printed and dried exactly the same as indicated in Example 1.
• the contact resistivity measured was 8 x 10 -1 ohm cm2 almost two orders of magnitude worse than silver conductor C.
• Adhesion to ITO was measured as clearly inferior to silver conductor C.
• adhesion to ITO was measured using an ASTM Tape method.
• a 600 grade Tape was applied to a printed/dried pattern of silver ink. The tape was removed in a continuous fashion and the amount of silver ink material removed was estimated based upon an arbitrary scale of 1 to 5 with 5 representing no material removal (i.e. excellent adhesion).
• contact resistivity was measured by printing a series of silver lines on a Transparent Conductive Oxide (Indium Tin Oxide) of varying spacing.
• the silver ink was dried under standard conditions.
• the Transmission Line Method was used to calculate the Contact R by plotting the Resistance of the lines vs. the spacing.
• the y-intercept then represents 2 x the Contact R.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
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• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
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• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
• Conductive Materials (AREA)
• Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-07-22 US US12/507,236 patent/US20100021625A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-07-22 CN CN200980122171.9A patent/CN102056973B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-07-22 EP EP09790707A patent/EP2303957B1/en not_active Revoked
  • 2009-07-22 AT AT09790707T patent/ATE547461T1/de active
  • 2009-07-22 WO PCT/US2009/051357 patent/WO2010011719A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-07-22 ES ES09790707T patent/ES2382527T3/es active Active
  • 2009-07-22 JP JP2011520155A patent/JP2011529121A/ja active Pending
  • 2009-07-22 KR KR1020117003929A patent/KR20110033937A/ko not_active Ceased
• 2012
  • 2012-11-02 US US13/667,207 patent/US20130056062A1/en not_active Abandoned

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