ADVANCING ADHESIVES: Cell Holding Tape Drives Solar Innovation

Manufacturers seeking new and better ways to differentiate products in today’s competitive solar cell equipment market, which is valued at nearly $5 billion globally by a number of industry reports, now have more options in material selection. MACtac® Specialty Products’ new SOLARHOLD™ cell holding tape gives manufacturers adhesive options that help maintain material quality and process control during solar cell production.

SOLARHOLD HT-1002 and HT-2002 cell holding tapes offer superior bonding strength to many surfaces, including photovoltaic (PV) cells. Applied in full-length strips or in sized pieces as dictated by a specific manufacturing process, SOLARHOLD is used as a production aid to hold silicon cells in alignment until the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) film melts and encapsulates the cells to prevent shifting. These transparent adhesive tapes will not bubble, blister, discolor, or affect the cells’ performance during the melting or evacuation processes.

“Creating solar cell equipment is a labor-intensive and technical process where every production detail matters,” said Steve Dominak, manager of Business Development for MACtac Specialty Products. “MACtac has a proven track record of translating manufacturer requirements into solutions that offer performance, accuracy and durability; SOLARHOLD is no exception. With two adhesive options available, SOLARHOLD works with manufacturers to accommodate a variety of application needs.”

SOLARHOLD HT-1002 tape is a 3-mil acrylic-based pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) that uses a 2.0-mil PET face. HT-2002 is a 3.0-mil acrylic-based PSA that uses a 2.0-mil ultraviolet PET face. Both products in the SOLARHOLD line are paired with a 78# two-sided, densified kraft release liner. In addition, these quick-tack adhesives exhibit strong resistance to movement and offer good continued use under aging and extreme temperature conditions (-40 to 250°F/-40 to 150°C). SOLARHOLD products are also available in a die-cut sheet format. Designed to lessen assembly time, the assembler only needs to remove the die cut and place it into position between the cells.<

About the Company

MACtac is a global supplier of pressure-sensitive adhesives. Founded on personal service, technical support, quality assurance, custom capabilities and supply chain efficiency, MACtac is dedicated to providing superior quality to its customers. Headquartered in Stow, Ohio, MACtac is a subsidiary of the Bemis Co., Inc., the largest flexible-packaging supplier in North America.

For more information, call (800) 328.2619, e-mail MACtac.Americas@bemis.com. or visit www.MACtac.com/Technical.