Chinese researchers seek to cut silver use in conductive pastes for photovoltaics
Researchers at Central South University in China studied how the surface bump density of silver-coated copper (Cu@Ag) powder particles affects the rheology and conductivity of conductive pastes. With pastes containing just 17% silver by weight, they achieved higher viscosity, better thixotropic recovery and lower volume resistivity, down to 0.72 × 10⁻⁴ Ω·cm, without adding silver nanoparticles. The approach could reduce silver consumption and costs in photovoltaic metallization.
In 40 seconds
- The study analyzed Cu@Ag powders with low, medium and high surface bump densities by adjusting the silver nitrate addition rate during coating.
- The pastes, with 17% silver by weight, were screen-printed on PET substrates and cured at 200 °C for 15 minutes.
- Higher bump density raised viscosity, lifted thixotropic recovery from 72.1% to 83.2% and widened the linear viscoelastic region from 11.96 Pa to 23.34 Pa.
Read the full story at pv magazine Latinoamérica
IASummary generated by artificial intelligence from a story by pv magazine Latinoamérica. It may contain errors: the original source prevails.
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