1. Alumina Tie Layer Promotes Environmental Durability of FEP Adhesion to EVA.
- Author
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Glassmaker, Nicholas J., McLean, R. Scotl, Reilly, Michael H., Warrington, Keith R., and Lei Zhang
- Subjects
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FLUOROPOLYMERS , *ADHESION , *ALUMINUM oxide , *WEATHERING , *VINYL acetate , *THIN films - Abstract
Adhesion of fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer (FEP) to poly(co-ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA) is discussed in the context of photovoltaic modules, where FEP film has the potential to improve photovoltaic efficiency when used as a sun-facing weathering layer. While virgin FEP has practically no adhesion to EVA, it is demonstrated that cementable FEP, which has a surface chemically enriched in nitrogen and oxygen, has much improved as-laminated adhesion to EVA. However, when subjected to accelerated weathering tests involving exposure to 85°C, 85% relative humidity environment, or temperature cycling to -40°C from this state, the improvement in adhesion is not well maintained. To overcome such limited durability, the benefit is shown of adding an aluminum oxide coating to cementable FEP such that when laminated, the alumina layer is sandwiched between the FEP and EVA surfaces. This structure not only has excellent as-laminated adhesion to EVA, but adhesion performance is maintained for extended accelerated weathering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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