Patent ID: 8232129

Claim:
A method of constructing a solar cell panel, the method comprising: providing a solar cell having a front side and a back side, the front side of the solar cell facing the sun during normal operation; heating a thermoplastic polyimide to at least its reflow temperature; flowing the thermoplastic polyimide onto the back side of the solar cell while heated to at least its reflow temperature; cooling the thermoplastic polyimide to a temperature below its reflow temperature to bond the thermoplastic polyimide directly to the solar cell; and bonding a substrate comprising graphite, aramid-based material, carbon fibers, or combinations thereof directly to the thermoplastic polyimide, without an adhesive, opposite the back side of the solar cell to form a composite; wherein the thermoplastic polyimide comprises: at least one diamine monomer and at least two dianhydride monomers, at least two diamine monomers and at least one dianhydride monomer, or at least two diamine monomers and two dianhydride monomers, wherein the diamine monomers are selected from 2,2-bis[4-(4aminophenoxy)phenyl]-hexafluoropropane and 4,4′-diaminobenzanilide and the dianhydride monomers are selected from 4-4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)di-phthalicanhydride and 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid dianhydride.