The present invention relates to a conductive paste for forming a conductive track on a substrate, the paste comprising a solids portion dispersed in an organic medium, the solids portion comprising an electrically conductive material, particles of a glass fit and particles of a tellurium compound. The invention further relates to methods for preparing such a paste, to a method of manufacturing an electrode on a surface of a solar cell, and to a solar cell having an electrode formed thereon.

A method for coating a composite structure, comprising applying a first slurry onto a surface of the composite structure, wherein the first slurry is a sol gel comprising a metal organic salt, a first carrier fluid, and a ceramic material, and heating the composite structure to a first sol gel temperature sufficient to form a sol gel-derived base layer on the composite structure.

A glass frit, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is a glass frit contained in a conductive paste for a solar cell electrode, which comprises an alkali metal oxide, wherein the total molar ratio of the alkali metal oxide to the total glass frit is 0.1 to 0.2.

Provided is a ceramic powder having precipitated therein -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution as a main crystal phase, having an average particle diameter D.sub.50 of 20 m or less, and having a negative thermal expansion coefficient in a range of from 30 C. to 300 C.

Disclosed is a sealing glass composition that turns, when fired at a temperature of 900-1150 C., into a crystallized glass having a thermal expansion coefficient of 80-11010.sup.7/ C. in the range of 50-850 C. The composition is substantially free of both boron oxide and barium oxide, and comprises SiO.sub.2: 43-53 mol %, CaO: 12-33 mol %, MgO: 12-33 mol %, La.sub.2O.sub.3: 1-7 mol %, and ZnO: 0-4.5 mol %.

A method for coating a composite structure, comprising applying a first slurry onto a surface of the composite structure, wherein the first slurry is a sol gel comprising a metal organic salt, a first carrier fluid, and a ceramic material, and heating the composite structure to a first sol gel temperature sufficient to form a sol gel-derived base layer on the composite structure.

Provided is a conductive paste for forming a solar cell electrode containing a glass frit component (A) as glass frit (II), the glass frit component (A) containing the following in the content ratio to the total molar number in terms of oxide: (a) 30 to 70 mol % of tellurium element, (b) 18 to 30 mol % of tungsten element, (c) 5 to 30 mol % of zinc element, (d) 1 to 15 mol % of boron element, (e) 0.3 to 5 mol % of aluminum element, (f) 0.3 to 7 mol % of one or more selected from rare earth elements in terms of oxide, and (g) 0.1 to 7 mol % of one or more selected from the group consisting of tin, lithium, and barium elements in terms of oxide.

The conductive paste may have better electric characteristics and a small variation in the characteristics even at a relatively low firing temperature (for example, 760 C.).

Multilayered molded articles comprising a glass layer interposed between first and second non-glass layers are described. These molded articles provide enhanced oxygen and moisture barrier protection to stored contents and are useful in medical, pharmaceutical, food, and research applications as containers and packaging materials.

The present invention relates to a conductive paste for a solar cell electrode, comprising: a metal powder; glass frit; and organic vehicles, wherein the glass frit includes a first glass frit having a first glass transition temperature and a second glass frit having a second glass transition temperature that is higher than the first glass transition temperature, wherein the glass frit is contained in an amount of 1-10% by weight with respect to the total weight of the paste, the content of the first glass frit being larger than that of the second glass frit. The present invention can improve the conversion efficiency and adhesion characteristics of a solar cell by using two or more kinds of glass frits having different glass transition temperatures in combination.

A feedthrough assembly includes: a ferrule; an insulating structure; and a seal fixedly securing the insulating structure within the ferrule, the seal comprising a glass and single-phase particulate dispersed therein; wherein the glass includes: 25% to 40% B.sub.2O.sub.3; 0 to 25% CaO; 0 to 25% MgO; 0 to 25% SrO; 0 to 10% La.sub.2O.sub.3; 5% to 15% SiO.sub.2; and 10% to 20% Al.sub.2O.sub.3; wherein all percentages are mole percentages of the glass.