Adhesives Research (Glen Rock, PA), a developer and manufacturer of custom, pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, specialty coatings, films and laminates, is offering ARclad® 90038 electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) foil tape as an alternative bus-bar material for delivering highly reliable conductivity in thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules. The 2.4-mil conductive PSA tape features a 1-oz., tin-plated copper-foil backing. The patented conductive adhesive technology forms table, conductive bonds to electrical contact points even under extreme environmental stress, the company states. Unlike copper ribbons and conductive adhesives or epoxies that require a two-step bonding process, the foil-tape format facilitates efficient application. ARclad® 90038 can be provided in roll or spooled format to minimize line downtime.
In thin-film PV modules, the electrical current generated in the module’s semiconductor is extracted by contacts on the front and rear of the cell. Widely spaced thin metal strips, often referred to as fingers, transport the electrical current generated within the cells to a larger metal bus bar strip. The bus bar gathers the electrical current from the individual fingers and transport the current from the solar module to a nearby junction box.
(800) 445-6240, (717) 235-7979; www.adhesivesresearch.com