PROCESS OF PREPARING COLORED SOLAR CELLS

Abstract

A process for the preparation of colored solar cells or colored solar cell modules containing a colored polymer film with oriented effect pigments, and colored solar cells or colored solar cell modules prepared by this process.

Claims

1. A process of preparing a colored solar cell or colored solar cell module comprising the following steps: a) lamination of a polymer film containing one or more effect pigments to a front sheet, b) optionally cooling down the front sheet with the laminated polymer film containing the effect pigments, c) providing a stack comprising the following layers C1) optionally one or more front encapsulant films, C2) one or more solar cells, or an array of solar cells which are electrically interconnected by conducting parts, C3) optionally one or more rear encapsulant films, C4) a rear sheet, on top of the front sheet with the laminated polymer film containing the effect pigments, or providing the front sheet with the laminated polymer film containing the effect pigments on top of the stack of layers C1 to C4, d) laminating the stack of layers C1 to C4 to the front sheet with the laminated polymer film containing the effect pigments.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the stack in step c) comprises a front encapsulant film between the polymer film containing the effect pigments and the solar cell(s) or solar cell array, wherein said front encapsulant film does not contain effect pigments.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the rear sheet has a black or dark color and/or the stack in step c) comprises an additional sheet or an encapsulant film provided between the solar cell(s) or solar cell array and the rear sheet, wherein said additional sheet or encapsulant film is black or has dark color.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the conducting parts interconnecting the solar cells are colored black or in a dark color prior to the application of the polymer film with the effect pigments.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein a grid of dark color is incorporated into the solar cell(s) or solar cell array, said grid covering bright areas including but not limited to the space between the solar cells and the conducting parts.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer film containing the effect pigments and the front and back encapsulant films are selected from the group consisting of polyolefin films, polyethylene copolymer films, EVA films, EBA films, EMA films, EEA films, POE films, BPO films, PVB films, and TPU films.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the front sheet and/or the back sheet is a glass sheet.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the front sheet and/or the back sheet is a polymer sheet.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solar cells or solar cell modules are selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon solar cells, mono-silicon solar cells, multi crystalline silicon solar cells, CIGS-solar cells, CdTe-solar cells, III/V-solar cells, II/VI-solar cells, perovskite solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, organic solar cells and dye sensitized solar cells.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the lamination steps a) and d) are carried out by applying heat and/or pressure, or using an adhesive or a binding agent or layer optionally in a vacuum press.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein in the lamination steps a) and d) the heating temperature is 130° C. to 160° C.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the effect pigments and/or the polymer film containing the effect pigments have a selective reflection maximum in the visible range of the solar spectrum.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the effect pigments and/or the polymer film containing the effect pigments have an overall transparency of at least 60% for radiation in the range of 260 to 1200 nm.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the effect pigments and/or the polymer film containing the effect pigments have an overall reflectance of <40% for radiation in the range of 260 to 1200 nm.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the effect pigments are selected from the group consisting of pearlescent pigments, interference pigments and multi-layer pigments.

16. The process according to claim 1, wherein the effect pigments are based on synthetic or natural mica, flake-form glass substrates, flake-form SiO.sub.2 substrates or flake-form Al.sub.2O.sub.3 substrates.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the effect pigments are based on flake-form substrates, which are coated with one or more layers of metal oxides and/or metal oxide hydrates of Ti, Sn, Si, Al, Zr and/or Zn.

18. The process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of effect pigments in the polymer film is 0.2 to 40% by weight.

19. The process according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the polymer film containing the effect pigments is 5 to 1000 μm.

20. The process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer film containing the effect pigments has been prepared by melt extrusion of an organic polymer material, wherein the effect pigments are added to the polymer melt before extrusion.

21. The process according to claim 21, wherein the polymer film containing the effect pigments is a co-extruded film of two or more layers, one of which contains the effect pigments.

22. A colored solar cell or colored solar cell module prepared by a process according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0157] FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates the components of the final encapsulated solar cell module.

[0158] FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates a solar cell module prepared by the process according to a preferred embodiment.

[0159] FIG. 3 shows the solar cell module prepared in accordance with comparison example 1, stack 2.

[0160] FIG. 4 shows the solar cell module prepared in accordance with example 1, stack 2.

[0161] The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.

[0162] Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The preceding preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever. From the description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

[0163] The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited herein and of corresponding EP Patent Application No. 21171471.2, filed Apr. 30, 2021, are incorporated by reference herein.