Carbon nanotube metal matrix composites for solar cell electrodes

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) composed of Ag and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been developed as an electrode material for inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) solar cells. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals that these Ag-SWCNT MMCs may alleviate issues caused by fracture of the fragile IMMs, and that the metal grain structure varies based on the thickness (or weight loading) of the SWCNTs present in the MMCs. Additionally, dynamic mechanical analysis of the Ag-SWCNT MMCs shows that the addition of SWCNTs to the Ag significantly increases the strain accommodation of the MMCs over conventional Ag. The results indicate that SWCNTs may be a promising material for advanced IMM solar cell electrodes for space and terrestrial applications.