DuPont Teijin Films Presentation at “Polymers in Photovoltaics Conference 2014”

DuPont Teijin Films attended the “Polymers in Photovoltaics Conference 2014” in Cologne on 9th/10th April both as a sponsor of the event and presenter of one of the key papers at the conference. There were around 100 delegates in attendance from right across the PV industry, module makers, laminators, material suppliers, and market analysts.

Dr Emily Parnham gave a presentation on PET Backsheets – The Robust Balance Between Performance And Cost. The presentation highlighted the importance of using stabilised PET films which have been specifically designed to last the lifetime of the backsheet, typically 25 years. It  also focused on how critical it is when doing accelerated weathering tests to evaluate the UV performance of films, that you use accelerated conditions that best mimic real life weathering eg Xenon arc. This eliminates the risk of good materials being ruled out and not fit for purpose materials being ruled in. In the presentation, there is also clear evidence of a UV stabilised, hydrolysis stabilised PET backsheet that has been outdoor exposed for > 4 years which shows no signs of any significant changes after a detailed analysis, whereas standard PET films after 4 years outdoor exposure, shows significant cracking, peeling and yellowing.

For more information on any aspects of the presentation, please contact Dr Emily Parham tel: 01642 572096, email: emily.parnham@gbr.dupont.com