Electrochemical degradation of amorphous-silicon photovoltaic modules
Abstract
Techniques of module electrochemical corrosion research, developed during reliability studies of crystalline-silicon modules (C-Si), have been applied to this new investigation into amorphous-silicon (a-Si) module reliability. Amorphous-Si cells, encapsulated in the polymers polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), were exposed for more than 1200 hours in a controlled 85 C/85 percent RH environment, with a constant 500 volts applied between the cells and an aluminum frame. Plotting power output reduction versus charge transferred reveals that about 50 percent a-Si cell failures can be expected with the passage of 0.1 to 1.0 Coulomb/cm of cell-frame edge length; this threshold is somewhat less than that determined for C-Si modules.
- Publication:
-
IN: Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
- Pub Date:
- 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985pvsp.conf.1142M
- Keywords:
-
- Amorphous Semiconductors;
- Corrosion Resistance;
- Electrochemical Corrosion;
- Photovoltaic Cells;
- Silicon Junctions;
- Charge Transfer;
- Electrical Resistivity;
- Encapsulating;
- Modules;
- Volt-Ampere Characteristics;
- Energy Production and Conversion