Described is an active layer having a first surface region and a bulk region, the active layer comprising a small molecule component and a polymer component, wherein the relative concentration of the small molecule component is lower in the first surface than in the bulk region. Also described is a method of producing a surface-modified active layer comprising the steps of providing a pristine active layer comprising a small molecule component and a polymer component; applying an adhesive to the exposed surface of the pristine active layer to produce an adhesive-bound active layer; and removing the adhesive from the adhesive-bound active layer, and a method of producing electrical energy from sunlight, such as sunlight deposited over bodies of water.

A versatile silicone resin reflective substrate which exhibits high reflectance of high luminance light from an LED light source over a wide wavelength from short wavelengths of approximately 340-500 nm, which include wavelengths from 380-400 nm near lower limit of the visible region, to longer wavelength in the infra-red region. The silicone resin reflective substrate has a reflective layer which contains a white inorganic filler powder dispersed in a three-dimensional cross linked silicone resin, the inorganic filler powder having a high reflective index than the silicone resin. The reflective layer is formed on a support body as a film, a solid, or a sheet. The silicone resin reflective substrate can be easily formed as a wiring substrate, a packaging case or the like, and can be manufactured at low cost and a high rate of production.

A copolymer, a method of manufacturing a copolymer, an encapsulant for optoelectronic devices, and an optoelectronic device are provided. The encapsulant exhibiting excellent adhesion to front substrates and back sheets included in various optoelectronic devices can be provided. Also, the encapsulant capable of maintaining excellent workability and economic feasibility upon manufacture of the device without causing a negative influence on working environments and parts such as optoelectronic elements or wiring electrodes encapsulated in the optoelectronic device can be provided.

Disclosed are optically transparent super-hydrophobic materials, and methods for making and using the same, that can include an optically transparent polymeric layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface. At least a portion of the first surface has been plasma-treated with oxygen and a fluorine containing compound. The treated surface includes nano- or micro-structures that are etched into the first surface and that are chemically modified with the fluorine containing compound. The nano- or micro-structures have a height to width aspect ratio of greater than 1, and a water contact angle of at least 150. The optically transparent polymeric layer retains its optical transparency after said plasma-treatment. Due to their optical transparency, chemical and thermal robustness, weatherability, and self-cleaning performance, the super-hydrophobic materials disclosed are useful in high performing solar cell units in harsh semi-arid environments.

Disclosed is a vehicle roof panel formed as a multilayer laminate having an outer shield layer, one or more solar cell laminate layers, and an internal electrochromic layer. The shield layer and the one or more solar cell laminate layers are transparent. The roof panel also may have a user controllable electrical input connected to the electrochromic layer whereby the user can adjust an electrical input to the electrochromic layer there by controlling its transparency from greater than 70% transparent to non-transparent. In the roof panel the one or more solar cell laminate layers are located between the shield layer and the electrochromic layer. The roof panel provides a convenient way to charge the batteries of electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles while allowing for user controllable dimming of the roof panel.

A solar panel disassembly device for disassembling a solar panel is provided. In the solar panel, a glass plate, an encapsulant, and a solar cell are stacked in sequence. The disassembly device includes: a stage on which a laser irradiation hole is formed; a transmissive panel disposed on the stage to cover the laser irradiation hole, forming a seating surface of the glass plate; a laser irradiation unit positioned in a lower portion of the stage, and formed such that a laser beam is irradiated through the laser irradiation hole to weaken or eliminate adhesion of the encapsulant as the laser beam passes through the transmissive panel and the glass plate to heat the encapsulant; and a scraper positioned in an upper portion of the stage and formed to scrape the solar cell stacked on the glass plate while moving from one side to the other side of the stage.

Provided is a sealing material sheet for solar cell modules, which is obtained by irradiating a polyethylene resin with ionizing radiation and has high transparency, heat resistance and adhesion at the same time. This sealing material sheet for solar cell modules contains a low density polyethylene having a density of 0.900 g/cm.sup.3 or less, while having a gel fraction of from 0% to 40% (inclusive) and a degree of dispersity (Mw/Mn), which is the ratio of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) to the number average molecular weight (Mn) in terms of polystyrene, of from 2.5 to 3.5 (inclusive).

Provided is a polymer from which an encapsulant excellent in weather resistance and processability can be obtained when being used for an encapsulant for a solar cell. The polymer that has a main chain comprising repeating units represented by formula (1) and repeating units represented by formula (2) and satisfies requirements (a1), (a2), and (a3), ##STR00001##
(a1): the ratio of the number of the repeating units represented by formula (2) to the total number of the carbon atoms that constitute the main chain of the polymer is from 3.8% to 7.5%;
(a2): the ratio X represented by formula (3) is from 82% to 100%;
X=100A/B(3)
(a3): the polymer has a melting point of 42 C. to 90 C. as measured with a differential scanning calorimeter.

There is provided a sheet-shaped sealing material that has excellent shock absorbency, sealing properties, cold and heat resistance, and light resistance even if the thickness is small. The sheet-shaped sealing material according to the present invention comprises: a silicone resin (A); and a plurality of particles (B) dispersed in the silicone resin and each having a cavity portion therein. The thickness of the sheet-shaped sealing material is, for example, 0.05 to 4 mm. The plurality of particles (B) comprise, for example, foamed particles that is thermally expanded.

Provided are: an alkoxysilyl group-containing hydrogenated block copolymer produced by introducing an alkoxysilyl group into a hydrogenated block copolymer that is obtained by hydrogenating 90% or more of unsaturated bonds of a block copolymer that includes at least two polymer blocks [A] and at least one polymer block [B], the polymer block [A] including a repeating unit derived from an aromatic vinyl compound as a main component, the polymer block [B] including a repeating unit derived from a linear conjugated diene compound as a main component, and a ratio (wA:wB) of a weight fraction wA of the polymer block [A] in the block copolymer to a weight fraction wB of the polymer block [B] in the block copolymer being 20:80 to 60:40; a method for producing the same; a solar cell element encapsulating material; a sheet; a laminated sheet; a multilayer sheet; and a method for encapsulating a solar cell element. The alkoxysilyl group-containing hydrogenated block copolymer exhibits low hygroscopicity, a low water vapor permeability, transparency, weatherability, and flexibility, maintains excellent adhesion to glass even when exposed to a high-temperature/high-humidity environment for a long time, and can encapsulate a solar cell element without applying a special waterproof treatment.