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Lightweight photovoltaics (PV) modules are important for certain segments of the renewable energy markets—such as exhibition halls, factories, supermarkets, farms, etc. However, lightweight silicon-based PV modules have their own set of technical challenges or concerns. One of them, which is the subject of this paper, is the lack of impact resistance, especially against hailstorms in deep winter in countries with four seasons. Even if the front sheet can be made sufficiently strong and impact-resistant, the silicon cells inside remain fragile and very prone to impact loading. This leads to cracks that significantly degrade performance (output power) over time. A 3D helicoidally architected fiber-based polymer composite has recently been found to exhibit excellent impact resistance, inspired by the multi-hierarchical internal structures of the mantis shrimp’s dactyl clubs. In previous work, our group demonstrated that via electrospinning-based additive manufacturing methodologies, weak polymer material constituents could be made to exhibit significantly improved toughness and impact properties. In this study, we demonstrate the use of 3D architected fiber-based polymer composites to protect the silicon solar cells by absorbing impact energy. The absorbed energy is equivalent to the energy that would impact the solar cells during hailstorms. We have shown that silicon cells placed under such 3D architected polymer layers break at substantially higher impact load/energy (compared to those placed under standard PV encapsulation polymer material). This could lead to the development of novel PV encapsulant materials for the next generation of lightweight PV modules and technology with excellent impact resistance.

When silicon solar cells are used in the novel lightweight photovoltaic (PV) modules using a sandwich design with polycarbonate sheets on both the front and back sides of the cells, they are much more prone to impact loading, which may be prevalent in four-season countries during wintertime. Yet, the lightweight PV modules have recently become an increasingly important development, especially for certain segments of the renewable energy markets all over the world—such as exhibition halls, factories, supermarkets, farms, etc.—including in countries with harsh hailstorms during winter. Even in the standard PV module design using glass as the front sheet, the silicon cells inside remain fragile and may be prone to impact loading. This impact loading has been widely known to lead to cracks in the silicon solar cells that over an extended period of time may significantly degrade performance (output power). In our group’s previous work, a 3D helicoidally architected fiber-based polymer composite (enabled by an electrospinning-based additive manufacturing methodology) was found to exhibit excellent impact resistance—absorbing much of the energy from the impact load—such that the silicon solar cells encapsulated on both sides by this material breaks only at significantly higher impact load/energy, compared to when a standard, commercial PV encapsulant material was used. In the present study, we aim to use numerical simulation and modeling to enhance our understanding of the stress distribution and evolution during impact loading on such helicoidally arranged fiber-based composite materials, and thus the damage evolution and mechanisms. This could further aid the implementation of the lightweight PV technology for the unique market needs, especially in countries with extreme winter seasons.