Flammability of photovoltaic module backsheets after accelerated weathering exposure

• Main Author: Tan, Rhonda Jia Hui
• Other Authors: Leonard Ng Wei Tat
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Engineering; Flammability of backsheets
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/174778
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In this Final Year Project, the work is focused on investigating the relationship between degradation of PV back sheet due to exposure to outdoor weathering conditions and the flammability of PV back sheet. PV back sheets are placed in Accelerated Weathering Tester, where they are exposed to elevated conditions like UV light and moisture, to expedite the degradation. Methods of characterization of the PV back sheet, includes techniques like FTIR, TGA, DSC and SEM. From these experiments, decomposition temperature, chemical bonds, melting temperature and topography of the PV back sheet, can be obtained. These methods are conducted on both back sheets that did not have exposure to weathering conditions, as well as back sheets that were exposed to weathering conditions. Different duration of exposure to weathering conditions was considered in the comparison and analysis. Flame Test with reference to UL 94, Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances testing, was also carried out on these PV back sheet samples so that behaviour of their flammability can be observed.