SBIR Phase II: Low-Cost, Nickel-Based Metallization Pastes for Solar Cell Applications

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力远远超出了降低硅光伏（PV）电池金属化成本的范围。在光伏领域，镍基金属化浆料的引入可以使太阳能电池组件更便宜，更可持续。预计到2035年，全球能源需求将从目前的17太瓦（TW）增长约40%至24太瓦，光伏组件产量必须从2013年的每年35吉瓦（GW）增加到每年150吉瓦，以满足这一新需求的重要部分。太阳能电池中使用的银基金属化浆料目前消耗所有银年产量的5%，使得光伏生产的大幅增长在长期内不可持续。此外，保护基底金属颗粒在高温下不被氧化的基本机制具有深远的意义，可以解决集成电路和电磁干扰屏蔽行业的问题。这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将商业化镍（Ni）基金属化浆料，作为硅光伏（PV）电池上银（Ag）金属化浆料的替代品。基于银（Ag）的金属化浆料用于目前制造的超过90%的太阳能电池中。然而，Ag的高成本导致浆料占完成的硅太阳能电池的成本的大约7-10%，使得非常需要Ag的替代品。镍的现货价格比银低50倍，数量级更丰富。先前在金属化浆料中使用Ni的尝试由于在太阳能电池的正常加工温度下烧制时Ni颗粒在空气中的快速氧化而失败。该二期项目将商业化一项技术，该技术可保护金属化浆料中的镍颗粒免受氧化，同时允许所得导电膜保持可焊接性，以将模块中的电池连接在一起。在该项目中，镍基金属化浆料将在大型硅光伏电池制造商的中试生产线上进行放大和测试，并显示出与标准Ag金属化浆料相当的性能、产量和可靠性。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project goes well beyond lowering the metallization costs for silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells. In the PV space, the introduction of nickel based metallization pastes can make solar cell modules cheaper and more sustainable. With global demand for energy expected to increase by approximately 40% from its current level of 17 terawatts (TW) to 24 TW by 2035, PV module production must increase from 35 gigawatts (GW) per year in 2013 to 150 GW per year to satisfy a meaningful portion of this new demand. Silver based metallization pastes used in solar cells currently consume 5% of all annual silver production, making large increases in PV production unsustainable in the long-term. In addition, the fundamental mechanism of protecting base metal particles from oxidation at elevated temperatures has far reach implications that can address problems in the integrated circuits and electromagnetic interference shielding industries.This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will commercialize nickel (Ni) based metallization pastes as replacements for silver (Ag) metallization pastes on silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells. Silver (Ag) based metallization pastes are used in over 90% of solar cells being manufactured today. However, the high cost of Ag results in the pastes accounting for roughly 7-10% of the cost of the completed silicon solar cell, making alternatives to Ag highly desirable. The spot price of nickel is fifty times less than Ag and orders of magnitude more abundant. Previous attempts to use Ni in metallization pastes have failed due to the rapid oxidation of Ni particles in air when fired at normal processing temperatures for solar cells. This Phase II project will commercialize a technology that protects the Ni particles in the metallization paste from oxidation while allowing the resulting conductive film to remain solderable for connecting cells together in a module. During this project the nickel-based metallization paste will be scaled up and tested on pilot lines of large silicon PV cell makers and show equivalent performance, yield and reliability when compared to standard Ag metallization pastes.