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Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the Chinese module manufacturer Jolywood have identified the key factor behind corrosion-related degradation in TOPCon solar cells. According to their study, the chemical composition of glass frit in low-aluminum silver metallization is the primary driver of failure under acidic and humid conditions.
The team found that glass frits modified with barium and zinc provide significantly better resistance to acetic-acid and damp-heat stress. This improvement leads to more stable silver-silicon interfaces and reduces power loss at the module level.
Experiments were conducted at both the cell and module levels. Cells were fabricated on n-type Czochralski silicon wafers using two different low-aluminum silver pastes, designated Paste A and Paste B. Both underwent identical firing and laser-assisted firing processes, differing only in the front-contact metallization. To simulate the acidic environment caused by ethylene-vinyl acetate degradation, cleaned cells were immersed in acetic acid at room temperature. Paste A degraded rapidly, losing between 80 and 90 percent efficiency within 120 minutes due to a severe increase in series resistance and fill factor loss from corrosion at the silver-silicon interface. Paste B showed much slower degradation, maintaining stable voltage and current over 240 minutes with only moderate increases in series resistance.
Microstructural analysis revealed that Paste A contained a lead-phosphorus-rich glass frit without barium, which is highly susceptible to acid-induced dissolution. Paste B incorporated barium and zinc into the glass chemistry, which enhanced resistance to acidic corrosion. Scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam imaging showed that Paste A experienced near-complete dissolution of the interfacial glass layer, leading to voids and contact failure, while Paste B preserved a continuous silver-silicon interface.
Module-level damp-heat testing confirmed the pattern. Modules using Paste A lost between 28 and 30 percent power due to fill factor-driven losses, whereas modules with Paste B degraded by only 4 to 5 percent. Electroluminescence imaging showed severe, nonuniform resistive damage in Paste A modules and stable performance in Paste B units.
The findings indicate that the chemical durability of the glass frit, rather than the metallic silver phase, governs metallization reliability in laser-assisted firing TOPCon devices. The researchers concluded that incorporating alkaline earth modifiers such as barium and zinc into the glass network offers an effective way to mitigate acetic acid- and moisture-induced degradation, enabling stable interfaces and longer module lifetimes.
The study was published in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics.
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