News Article
Say hello to MoTa : the corrosion-resistant material for CIGS
Molybdenum mixed with small amounts of tantalum combine the advanced properties of both metals as a back contact for CIGS solar cells
Thanks to its good adhesion to glass and a high electrical conductivity, molybdenum is the back contact material in CIGS solar cells.
However, exposed to corrosive atmospheres molybdenum can be prone to oxidation.
In order to avoid negative effects during the manufacturing process and solar module operation, Plansee has developed a material with improved corrosion resistance.
The company alloys pure molybdenum with small amounts of corrosion-resistant tantalum, thereby combining the advanced properties of both metals. Plansee says the superior corrosion resistance of molybdenum-tantalum (MoTa) has been proven in numerous tests.
Plansee's MoTa
Particularly on polymer-based substrates like polyimide, the high water and oxygen permeation can result in an increased corrosion of the CIGS back contact. With its higher corrosion resistance MoTa can minimise this effect.
But according to Plansee, MoTa is not just suitable as a back contact material. On flexible substrates like stainless steel foil and polyimide the new alloy can function as a corrosion resistant contact and protective layer. It effectively protects the backside of the stainless steel web during the selenisation step in the CIGS manufacturing process.
