Reseaerch Project

The use of solar energy to generate power represents an economically and ecologically more favorable alternative to fossil fuels and therefore plays an important role in the transformation of the energy sector. As a result, not only is the use of photovoltaic technology becoming more widespread, but the solar cells required for this are also undergoing further development. One such development is heterojunction solar cells, which combine the advantages of thick-film and thin-film solar cells due to their structure and therefore have a higher efficiency in comparison. Due to the temperature-sensitive structure of the cells, the use of gentler alternatives to the conventional method of soldering on copper wires is required when connecting the cells to PV modules.

As part of the research project, the use of a thermoplastic, electrically highly conductive adhesive bond between the cell and the wire required for contacting is to be investigated. This includes the development of a conductive adhesive system consisting of a thermoplastic polymer, conductive (silver) particles and solvents suitable for the screen printing process. The use of capillary suspension technology enables the required long-term stability and allows cost savings in the production of solar modules by reducing the silver content without loss of conductivity.