Marketed under the name ELASTOSIL® Solar, the line includes several silicone grades that are resistant to weathering, radiation and heat, making them ideal for bonding, sealing, laminating and encapsulating photovoltaic modules and their electronic components. According to Wacker, its new range of silicones “ make for efficient and reliable execution of typical stages in module production. These include attaching solar cells to the support structures, bonding cover glass and frame components, and insulating and mounting electrical junction boxes”. By virtue of their low elasticity modulus, ELASTOSIL® Solar silicones also reduce thermomechanical stresses in the part. Electrical components encapsulated in ELASTOSIL® are well- protected against moisture and corrosion.

The Munich-based chemical company showcased its new range and other novel silicones at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (PV SEC) in Hamburg (Germany) in September.

One of the products presented at PVSEC was a new thermoplastic encapsulant for the manufacture of photovoltaic module called TECTOSIL®. This silicone-based elastic polymer sheet provides sensitive solar cells with effective and long-lasting protection against mechanical and chemical stresses, is non-corrosive, and can be used with any type of module. Because of its thermoplastic properties, this silicone-based polymer can be processed quickly and inexpensively – without curing or chemical reactions – setting it apart from conventional encapsulants. As a leading producer of hyperpure polycrystalline silicon, WACKER has been an important partner of the

solar industry for many years now. Alongside polysilicon, WACKER’s silicones play an important role in the manufacture of PV modules, whether as potting compounds, adhesives and sealants, or encapsulants for solar cells. “Wacker enjoys an excellent reputation in the solar industry,” said Wacker Silicones President Dr. Christoph von Plotho. “We intend to achieve an equally good reputation for our silicone elastomers, too.”

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