Breakthrough Metallization Technology Designed to Drive Costs Down for Solar Cell Manufacturers

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 5, 2011- DuPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) is accelerating the completion of a breakthrough technology innovation that is enabling the company to develop formulations for a new series of its leading DuPont™ Solamet® brand photovoltaic (PV) metallization pastes that significantly reduce the silver content. This development will help offset some of the impact that rising silver prices have on the cost of producing solar cells and modules.

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DuPont is developing Solamet® PV metallization paste formulations now with lower silver content
DuPont expects to commercialize the first generation of lower silver Solamet® pastes later this year, and based on preliminary MCM lab evaluations, the company anticipates that the first generation products will have a reduced silver content of over 10 percent. DuPont expects that ongoing research efforts will enable the development of subsequent generations of the products with the silver content reduced by as much as 20 percent compared to today's existing products. The development is part of MCM's roadmap of proposed technology options to enable the industry goal for conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cellsbeyond 20 percent by 2012, and to help lower the cost of PV generated energy.
"Lower costs are critical to the future of the PV industry, and the escalating price of silver has become a key concern for our customers," said Peter Brenner, global marketing manager, photovoltaics - DuPont Microcircuit Materials. "DuPont is working aggressively to reduce our customers' reliance on silver as a basic conductive material, to reduce cell and module costs today and enable a more stable cost structure in the future. DuPont™ Solamet® PV17A, launched at SNEC in February, already substantially reduces the amount of paste needed to produce a solar cell, and we're continuing to put our science to work by lowering the silver content in the paste itself with this anticipated new product system. MCM has a history of success in enabling cost reductions through new material innovations without compromising performance. We are looking forward to introducing this system to the market."
The lower-silver Solamet® photovoltaic metallization paste system is comprised of new frontside silver and tabbing pastes, which DuPont anticipates for many applications will be near drop-in replacements for current products.
MCM began developing non-precious metal thick film compositions for low-cost applications in the early 1980's, for example with the screen-printable, low-temperature Mydas™ copper material system for use in automotive applications, and has continued to successfully draw upon internal and external collaborative efforts to leverage proprietary and patented technology using novel approaches to reduce costs for conductive materials in a range of industries including the automotive, passive component and plasma display panel markets.
MCM has introduced several new Solamet® products this year and continues to focus on accelerated product development programs that help lower costs and raise efficiency, and capacity expansions to support the fast growing PV industry.
DuPont MCM has over 40 years of experience in the development, manufacture, sale and support of specialized thick film compositions for a wide variety of electronic applications in the photovoltaic, display, automotive, biomedical, industrial, military and telecommunications markets. For more information on DuPont Microcircuit Materials and Solamet® metallization pastes, please visit http://mcm.dupont.com.
DuPont™ Solamet® photovoltaic metallizations are part of a broad and growing portfolio of products represented by DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS), which connects science and technology from across the company on a global scale to help support the dramatic growth in the photovoltaic industry. To learn more, please visit http://photovoltaics.dupont.com.
DuPont (www.dupont.com) is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 90 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

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5/5/11
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