Claims advanced aluminum pastes significantly boost electrical performance of solar cells

DuPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) and Sunrise Global Solar Energy Corporation have announced that they have produced solar cells with conversion efficiencies of 20.3% using the newly commercialised DuPont Solamet PV36X series aluminum photovoltaic metallisation pastes for rear-side passivation of silicon solar cells.

Sunrise reported that results with its latest CELCO high-efficiency solar cell design were independently verified by certified global standards group, Fraunhofer ISE in Germany and added that high-performance solar panels with electrical output power greater than 280 Watts were produced and certified by independent certification group, TÜV Rheinland. It claimed that higher conversion efficiencies allow for greater electrical power generation in solar cells.

DuPont, on its part, added that Solamet PV36X series pastes can achieve greater cell efficiency gains compared with traditional aluminum pastes due to better electrical contacts and stronger adhesion. The new materials also exhibit strong resistance to a phenomenon known as potential induced degradation (PID), which has been observed in competing solar cell designs, where performance can slightly decrease, it explained.

“Our collaboration with Sunrise Global Solar Energy has yielded excellent results,” said Peter Brenner, Photovoltaics Global Marketing Manager, DuPont MCM. “This successful commercialisation of high-performance solar cells, when coupled with the right materials, continues to lower the cost of producing electricity with solar energy.”