Building on the corporation's experience in material innovation within the renewable energy sector industry, DuPont Performance Polymers has tailored its portfolio of thermoplastic materials and design knowledge to the needs of the photovoltaic industry. This includes the introduction of two specific grades of DuPont Rynite PET for photovoltaic applications.
The objective behind DuPont Performance Polymer solutions for the photovoltaic industry is to reduce the total cost of manufacturing, assembling and installing photovoltaic systems. By doing so, it is helping the photovoltaic industry reach grid parity faster.
Drawn from its portfolio of high-performance polymers, UV-resistant DuPont Rynite PET resins offer an excellent balance of properties which makes them an ideal candidate for the cost-effective manufacturing of photovoltaic module frames and components.
Two specific grades are currently available from DuPont for these applications: Rynite 935SUV is a 35% glass-fiber/mineral reinforced, UV stabilized grade of polyethylene terephtalate (PET) suitable for injection molding; Rynite 540SUV is a 40% glass-fiber reinforced, UV stabilized grade of PET suitable for extrusion and injection molding.
Both grades combine high stiffness with low warpage and have been specifically developed for long-term outdoor applications. Other DuPont engineering polymers for the photovoltaic sector include flame-retardant DuPont Zytel nylon for junction boxes and inverters, and low-wear/low-friction DuPont Delrin acetal resin for bearings used in sun-tracking mirror installations, for example.
When used in photovoltaic applications, DuPont's polymers can help increase design flexibility for greater ease of assembly and installation; provide an opportunity for functional integration (thereby reducing the overall number of components); and when produced in large numbers, offer one of the most cost-competitive methods of production through injection molding and extrusion.
Moreover, high performance thermoplastics such as Rynite can offer a high degree of stiffness for structural strength, excellent outdoor performance, high impact resistance, corrosion resistance and good aesthetics. By using Rynite PET for frames, resistance to ultraviolet rays, heat, wind and significant loads of snow is assured, as well as enhanced durability and a high surface finish.
DuPont Delrin, DuPont Crastin and DuPont Zytel are part of a broad and growing portfolio of products represented by DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions, which connects science and technology from across the company on a global scale to help support the dramatic growth in the photovoltaic industry.
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