Solutions for Solar Electronics
IMAGINE
Improving the
Manufacturability,
Reliability and Cost
of Solar Electronics
Dow Corning
Solutions
for Solar Electronics
Regardless of design, application
or region, solar energy must
continue to push its cost per
watt towards grid parity in order
to occupy a larger share of the
overall mix of energy resources.
As solar manufacturers seek
solutions to deliver higher
system value and lower system
costs, many are discovering that
advanced silicone technologies
offer pathways toward both
goals.
With Dow Corning on your
team, you get more than a
broad and growing portfolio
of high-performance silicone
encapsulants, coatings,
adhesives and thermal interface
materials for advanced solar
applications. You also get
industry-leading expertise on how
to improve the manufacturability,
reliability and lifetime of solar
components, such as inverters,
power optimizers and other highvalue electronics.
For more than 70 years,
Dow Corning has helped
pioneer successive generations
of increasingly sophisticated
electronic components. We
continue that tradition today,
by delivering the world-class
materials our customers need
to increase the performance,
reliability and value of high-end
solar electronics.
A proactive and collaborative
innovation partner, Dow Corning
couples its unmatched
materials know-how with
proven process and application
expertise, a reliable global
supply base, and worldrenowned customer service.
If your application involves
the manufacture, assembly,
protection or enhancement of
solar electronics, you will likely
find a Dow Corning materials
or process solution that meets
your specific needs.
Contact Dow Corning today to learn how our leading-edge
silicone technologies and expertise can help improve the
reliability, durability and long-term value of your solar energy
conversion components.
2
Encapsulant and Potting Solutions
Solar inverters must deliver
long-lasting, reliable performance
under very harsh conditions in
order to maximize their value.
Dow Corning’s advanced silicone
encapsulants can help by
providing best-in-class protection
of sensitive solar inverter
components against repeated
thermal and mechanical stress,
as well as moisture and other
punishing environmental factors.
Our proven silicone technologies
and processing know-how can
help improve the total cost of
ownership before solar electronics
are even deployed. Compared
to conventional polyurethane
encapsulants, Dow Corning’s
high-performance silicones
contribute to lower processing
costs by eliminating the preheating step that polyurethanes
require and enabling electronic
assemblies to be filled more
quickly. In addition, where
polyurethane encapsulants can
take more than 60 minutes to
cure, select silicone products from
Dow Corning offer simple roomtemperature cure with the option
to reduce that time to 20 minutes
at temperatures of 50°C, further
minimizing processing costs.
Viscosity,
cps
Hardness
Thermal
Conductivity, W/mK
Room Temperature
Cure, hr
UL 94
Specific
Gravity
840
Type A 65
0.35
24
Not
Listed
1.25
Dow Corning® EE-3200 Low Stress
Silicone Encapsulant
1,700
Type 00 20
0.51
3
V-0
1.48
Sylgard® 170 Silicone Elastomer
2,140
Type A 47
0.48
24
V-0
1.37
Dow Corning® CN-8760 G
Encapsulant
3,200
Type A 45
0.67
24
V-0
1.58
Sylgard® 160 Silicone Elastomer
4,865
Type A 56
0.62
24
V-0
1.61
Product
Dow Corning® EE-1010
Low Viscosity Encapsulant
3
Conformal Coating Solutions
Seasons, sun and other
environmental assaults impose
repetitive thermal cycling and
mechanical stress on the
printed circuit boards (PCBs)
that drive solar inverters. Yet,
the consistent, long-term
performance and durability of
these PCBs is critical to ensuring
a solar system delivers its full
value and return on investment
over 25 years.
The extreme-performance
silicone technologies and
proven expertise that back
Dow Corning’s conformal
coatings can help PCBs perform
reliably over their expected
lifetimes, even under very harsh
conditions. Unlike competitive
coating materials, such as
acrylics, high-performance
silicones from Dow Corning
process easily without residual
moisture that extends cycle
times and compromises
coating quality. In addition,
silicones deliver comparatively
higher thermal stability and
strong resistance to humidity
to promote better long-term
durability of energy conversion
components. Further, by
offering both solvent-based and
solventless silicone solutions,
Dow Corning’s coatings offer
options for reduced health and
environmental risks.
Viscosity,
cps
Hardness
Cure
Temperature
Tack-Free
Time, min
UL 94
Dow Corning® 1-2620 Dispersion RTV Elastoplastic
Conformal Coating
150
Type A 80
25°C
5
V-0
Dow Corning® 3-1953 Conformal Coating
350
Type A 34
25°C
8
V-0
Dow Corning® 1-2577 Conformal Coating
950
Type A 80
25°C
7
V-0
Product*
*Low-VOC options also available.
4
Adhesive and Sealant Solutions
The longer solar inverters operate
reliably, the more value they return
on the original investment. Delivering
excellent unprimed adhesion to a
variety of substrates, Dow Corning’s
advanced silicone adhesives
and sealants protect delicate
solar electronics within inverter
assemblies to help maximize their
performance, durability and value
under the toughest of conditions.
Dow Corning’s silicone adhesives
and sealants offer simple roomtemperature cure with the option
to accelerate cure time for
improved economies and broader
manufacturing latitudes. Plus,
unlike many competitive materials,
our silicone formulations are
solvent-free, minimizing the need
for special storage, handling
or ventilation.
After cure, Dow Corning’s silicone
solutions deliver proven, long-lasting
protection against mechanical and
thermal stress, even after repeated
exposure to strong electrical fields,
extremes in humidity and temperatures
ranging from -45° to 200°C.
Product
Viscosity,
cps
Hardness
Cure System
Cure
Temperature
Tack-Free
Time, min
UL 94
Dow Corning® 3165 Fast Tack RTV
Adhesive Sealant
Thixotropic
Type A 35
Moisture
25°C
5
V-0
Dow Corning® 7091 Adhesive Sealant
Thixotropic
Type A 40
Moisture
25°C
30
HB**
Dow Corning® 748 Noncorrosive Sealant
Thixotropic
Type A 35
Moisture
25°C
45
HB
Dow Corning® 3-6265 Thixotropic Adhesive
Thixotropic
Type A 60
Addition Cure
125°C
60
(full cure)
Not
Listed
**Also available is Dow Corning® PV-804 Sealant, which has similar properties to Dow Corning® 7091 Adhesive Sealant and is also UL listed.
5
Thermal Management Solutions
Solar electronics, by nature,
encounter extreme exterior
temperatures. Yet, internal temperatures within solar assemblies
are also on the rise as electronic
components increase in number, size, density and operating
frequencies. The additional
heat is challenging conventional
materials and putting at risk the
performance, durability and value
of next-generation solar inverters.
Offering an innovative and growing
portfolio of thermally conductive
silicone adhesives, compounds,
encapsulants and dispensable
thermal pads, Dow Corning
can help you identify a thermal
management solution that enables
greater integration, withstands
higher power densities, and
optimizes processing and system
costs for your high-value solar
electronics.
Our robust portfolio of thermally
conductive silicone adhesives
cures to form strong yet flexible
elastomers that deliver unprimed
6
and reliable adhesion to a variety
of common substrates, including
metals, ceramics and filled plastics.
Low-viscosity, thermally conductive
compounds from Dow Corning flow
easily and wet irregular substrate
surfaces, such as circuit boards,
to provide an effective thermal
bridge that draws heat away from
sensitive electronics.
Our thermally conductive silicone
elastomers and gels encapsulate
delicate components within solar
electronic assemblies to deliver
reliable physical protection as well
as strong thermal conductivity.
These adaptable materials
combine versatile thermal
management with variable levels of
hardness or stress relief to fit your
application’s need.
Our dispensable thermal pad
solution enables you to quickly and
precisely print a layer of thermally
conductive silicone compound
in controllable thicknesses on
complex substrate shapes.
This helps to ensure excellent thermal
management and lower cost of
ownership compared to prefabricated
thermal pads.
Combined with Dow Corning’s
seasoned processing and application
expertise, our expansive portfolio of
thermal management solutions can
help you meet your design goals for
heat dissipation, processability and
low cost of ownership.
Viscosity,
cps
Thermal
Conductivity,
W/mK
Hardness
Cure
Temperature
Cure Time,
min
UL 94
Dow Corning® TC-4015 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
100,000
1.7
Type 00 50
125°C
10
V-0
Dow Corning® 1-4173 Thermally
Conductive Adhesive
62,000
1.8
Type A 92
125°C
30
V-0
Dow Corning® TC-4025 Dispensable
Thermal Pad
70,000
2.5
Type 00 50
125°C
10
V-0
Dow Corning® TC-2030 Adhesive
220,000
2.7
Type A 92
130°C
60
Not
Listed
Dow Corning® TC-2035 Adhesive
130,000
3.3
Type A 95
125°C
30
Not
Listed
Product
7
How Can We Help You Today?
Tell us about your performance, design and manufacturing
challenges. Let us put our silicon-based materials expertise,
application knowledge and processing experience to work for you.
For more information about our materials and capabilities, visit
dowcorning.com.
To discuss how we could work together to meet your specific
needs, email electronics@dowcorning.com or go to
dowcorning.com/ContactUs for a contact close to your location.
Dow Corning has customer service teams, science and technology
centers, application support teams, sales offices, and manufacturing
sites around the globe.
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