SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost, Copper-Based Metallization Pastes for Solar Cell Applications

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将研究在晶体硅太阳能电池的金属化浆料中使用丰富元素的可行性。目前，基于银的浆料占据市场主导地位，因为它们不会氧化，并且可以在高温下加工。不幸的是，这些糊剂含有大部分的银（例如50%），银是一种贵金属，目前成本约为1000美元/kg。在本可行性研究期间，PLANT PV将尝试合成和制造由丰富元素制成的复合金属颗粒的低成本薄膜，可用作Ag浆料的替代品。为了取得成功，薄膜必须具有足够的导电性，并牢固地粘附在硅太阳能电池上，同时不降低整体功率转换效率。 该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是显著降低光伏电池加工的总体成本。目前，PV模块的生产成本为0.70 -0.80美元/W，其中大约0.08美元/W的成本来自基于银的金属化浆料。全球光伏行业银浆市场规模为18亿美元/年。我们认为，通过改用非银替代品，可以显著降低成本（例如，0.05美元/瓦）。组件成本的降低主要推动了过去五年美国太阳能电池安装的显著增长。虽然光伏目前在美国的几个地区具有成本竞争力，但进一步将太阳能组件降低到0.50美元/W，并相应降低安装成本，将使太阳能发电成本与美国没有补贴的1 TW发电成本竞争。最后，在第一阶段研究中开发的金属化浆料可应用于包括显示器和集成电路在内的广泛产品中。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will study the feasibility of using abundant elements in metallization pastes for crystalline silicon solar cells. Currently, silver-based pastes dominate the market because they do not oxidize and can be processed at high temperatures. Unfortunately, these pastes contain a large fraction of silver (e.g. 50%), which is a precious metal that currently costs ~$1000/kg. During this feasibility study, PLANT PV will attempt to synthesize and fabricate low-cost thin films of composite metal particles made from abundant elements that can be used as a replacement for Ag-pastes. In order to achieve success, the films must be sufficiently conductive and strongly adhere to the silicon solar cell while not reducing the overall power conversion efficiency. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a significant reduction in the overall cost of PV cell processing. Currently PV modules cost $0.70-0.80/W to produce with roughly $0.08/W cost coming from the silver based metallization pastes. The global silver paste market in the PV industry is $1.8 bn/year. We believe that by switching to non-silver alternatives it is possible to provide significant cost reductions (e.g. $0.05/W). Module cost reductions have primarily driven the significant growth in solar cell installations in the United States in the past five years. While PV is now cost competitive in several regions in the US, further solar module reductions to $0.50/W, with commensurate reductions in installation costs, would make solar power cost competitive with 1TW of power production in the US without subsidies. Finally, metallization pastes developed in this Phase I study may have applications in a wide range of products including displays and integrated circuits.