Royal DSM has launched what it calls an all purpose Endurance backsheet D15 claiming it to provide superior protection for a wide range of solar modules at an 'ideal' performance-cost ratio. It is the Dutch chemicals maker's newest addition to its Endurance backsheet series co-extruded in a single step process with no adhesives needed. It also uses 'strongest core layer on the market' made from polyolefin instead of PET.
Royal DSM believes this D15 backsheet to 'truly accelerate' the introduction of co-extrusion technology in the market as this fluorine free product delivers 'excellent moisture protection and sand abrasion resistance coupled with outstanding mechanical, UV and chemical resistance'.
Having cleared the integrated stress sequence accelerated aging certificate from testing agency TUV SUD, the Endurance backsheet D15 is defined as an all purpose backsheet for mainstream applications built as a strong multi-material.
"Increasingly we are seeing – and hearing from customers – that traditional backsheet design has reached its limits and is no longer fit for purpose in the longer term," said Vice President of DSM Advanced Solar, Pascal de Sain. "Extreme cost pressure has led to thinner backsheets, made from inferior PET-based materials with less and less fluoropolymer content. But our new Endurance backsheet D15 addresses this challenge by delivering outstanding module protection, based on industry leading technology – affordably."
In October 2020, Royal DSM in a surprising move exited resins and functional materials businesses including solar coatings to Germany's Covestro but retained next-generation backsheet business for solar modules (see Dutch Chemicals Company Exits Solar Coatings Business).
In our latest market survey on encapsulation, TaiyangNews figured out that manufacturers are using polyolefins as an effective alternate to EVA in bifacial modules. To save costs, some companies also prefer to use only one film of polyolefin on the rear side with EVA on the front. The co-extruded structure addresses some of the shortcomings of the polyolefins (see EVA—The Module Encapsulation Material Of Choice).
The detailed Market Survey on Backsheet and Encapsulation 2020 of TaiyangNews can be accessed for free here.