Page 46 - Plastics News May 2026
P. 46
BUSINESS NEWS
EMERGING MARKETS FOR POLYOLEFINS
IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY
olyolefins are increasingly replacing con- avoid adhesion failure while providing better ul-
ventional materials as encapsulant films in traviolet (UV) stability. Thus, these materials pre-
Pphotovoltaic solar panels. sented a suitable alternative to EVA if not used
at high operating temperatures. In the following
Polyolefins have gained significant market share
as encapsulants for photovoltaic modules. Since years, research continued to expand the use of
the 1980s, chemically crosslinked EVA has been polyolefins for encapsulation.
the most common material for this purpose. EVA In 2008, for example, The Dow Chemical Com-
provides good durability and performance but pany developed functionalized polyolefins for
requires chemical crosslinking for thermos-me- encapsulation. These materials reduced mois-
chanical stability. Thus, it has a limited shelf life, ture permeation, did not require curing, and did
an intensive lamination process, and can form not produce acetic acid. They had a lower den-
acetic acid during degradation, leading to cor- sity than EVA and better adhesion to glass.
rosion. The world market share for EVA-based More recent research has developed innovative
encapsulants has been steadily dropping in fa- polyolefin encapsulants, cross-linked POEs, and
vor of polyolefin and EVA/polyolefin elastomer thermoplastic polyolefin encapsulants. These
(POE) mixtures. materials reduce corrosion, potential-induced
How Polyolefins Gained a Stronghold in En- degradation, ion diffusion, and discoloration.
capsulants Additionally, recent research has focused on
compatibility with novel technology and mod-
In the mid-1990s, researchers began investigat- ules for specific applications and environmental
ing polyolefins as alternatives to EVA encapsu- conditions.
lants. This research showed that polyolefins may
48 PLASTICS NEWS May 2026
