Method for stabilizing silicone material, stabilized silicone material, and devices incorporating that material

摘要

Darkening of silicone containing materials caused by exposure to ultraviolet illumination is prevented or reversed by exposure of those materials to an atmosphere containing a reactive species, which may comprise activated oxygen. The activated oxygen may be generated by ultraviolet irradiation of the silicone material in an oxygen containing atmosphere. In other instances, the activated oxygen may comprise ozone or some other activated oxygen species. In yet other instances, the reactive species may comprise an oxygen containing material such as nitrous oxide or nitrates. It may also comprise other materials such as halogens, atomic hydrogen, protons or the like. The treatment may be applied prior to ultraviolet exposure so as to prevent or minimize darkening, or it may be applied after darkening has occurred for purposes of reversing the darkening. Also disclosed are silicone materials which have been treated so as to make them resistant to ultraviolet induced darkening, as well as photovoltaic devices which have such silicone materials coated thereupon.