Study Program for Encapsulation Materials Interface for Low-Cost Solar Array (LSA)

The early validation of a 20 year service integrity for the bonded interfaces in low cost solar arrays is an important requirement in the Low Cost Solar Array ( LSA) project. An atmospheric corrosion model has been developed and verified by five months of corrosion rate and climatology data acquired at Mead, Nebraska LSA test site. Atmospheric corrosion monitors (ACMs) installed at the Mead test site showed that protection of the corroding surface by the encapsulant is achieved independent of climatology variations. A newly designed Mead climatology simulator has been developed in laboratory corrosion studies to clarify corrosion mechanisms displayed by two types of LSA modules at the Mead test site. Controlled experiments with identical moisture and temperature aging cycles showed that UV radiation causes corrosion while UV shielding inhibits LSA corrosion. The implementation of AC impedance as a NDE monitor of environmental aging in solar cell arrays has also been demonstrated