engineering the solar age - Suppliers for Photovoltaics

B-Dry^®, thermoplastic edge sealant tape with getter “inside”

For 70 years SAES Getters has been recognized worldwide as a leader in getter technology. Headquartered in Italy, SAES owns manufacturing sites and sales offices in Italy, the USA and Asia.

SAES is very active in the solar energy sector, offering getter solutions for vacuum insulation in CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) applications and gas purifiers for the crystalline silicon and thin-film PV industry.

SAES R&I successfully developed a powerful edge sealant tape called B-Dry^® for moisture protection of thin-film (Cd-Te, CIS/CIGS, a-Si) and crystalline silicon PV modules.

B-Dry^® is a unique formulation of low permeability polymer and moisture adsorbing getter particles, impregnated into the polymeric matrix. B-Dry^® is the first edge sealant working as an active barrier against moisture leaks. Damp Heat Tests (at 85°C & 85% RH) performed on real thin-film PV modules with B-Dry^® confirmed a breakthrough time for moisture penetration of more than 4,000 hours and no growth of leakage current.

Main characteristics of SAES B-Dry^®:

• superior protection against moisture inlet
• best-in-class electric insulation characteristics
• UV stability, confirmed by Weather-O-Meter test
• visco-elastic behavior and relatively high stiffness, effective in improving mechanical stability of PV modules
• black color and straight profile after lamination, especially appreciated in frameless PV modules
• good adhesion to both glass and plastic backsheets
• proven compatibility with different types of encapsulant materials (EVA, PVB, TPO, silicon based) and back-end technologies (vacuum laminator, autoclave)
• UL listed and compliant with RoHS, REACH, IEC 61730 and IEC 61646