Patent ID: 8657993

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a solar cell module, said process comprising the steps of: (i) providing a composition consisting essentially of a non-neutralized acid copolymer of a non-neutralized acid copolymer of an alpha olefin and about 15 to about 23 wt % of alpha,beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbons, based on the total weight of the acid copolymer, wherein the acid copolymer has a Melt Index of greater than 100 to about 600 g/10 min, as measured by ASTM D1238 at 190° C. and under a load of 2160 g; and about 0.01 to about 10 wt %, based upon the total weight of the acid copolymer composition, of an organic peroxide; (ii) compounding the composition at a temperature of 100° C. or less to prevent premature cross-linking; (iii) extruding the composition at a temperature of 100° C. or less to form a polymeric film or sheet; (iv) forming a solar cell pre-laminate assembly comprising the polymeric film or sheet and a solar cell component, said solar cell component comprising one or a plurality of solar cells; and (v) laminating the solar cell pre-laminate assembly to form the solar cell module by subjecting the solar cell pre-laminate assembly to heat at a temperature of 115° C. or greater to cure the composition and, optionally, subjecting the assembly to vacuum, to positive pressure, or to a second heating step at a temperature of 145° C.; wherein the composition of the polymeric film or sheet is cross-linked in the solar cell module.