Page 19 - Arkema Inside

Protecting fruit and vegetable crops
For fumigating soils prior to planting vegetable and horticultural crops, the Paladin® fumigant has proven
to be effective against soil pests
and weeds. It is based on a sulfur derivative, a substance naturally present in the environment,
so it breaks down very quickly in the atmosphere.
Indispensable chemistry / Arkema Inside 19 Sustainable solar panel farms
Altuglas® acrylic glass (or PMMA) is used as a substitute for tempered glass on the front of the solar panel.
Its crystalline transparency and excellent UV resistance foster the concentration of rays directly on the thin strips of silicon, so increasing the panel’s efficiency.
On the backsheet, our Kynar® fluoropolymer is applied as a white film, and durably protects the panel against high temperatures and abrasive dust, increasing
its service life. In addition, its white color reflects
UV rays onto other panels, helping optimize yields from solar farms.
Well-protected blades
Acrylic varnishes from Sartomer® (an Arkema subsidiary) are used by manufacturers as coatings for wind turbine blades. Quick to apply, with instant drying under UV radiation, these protective varnishes are very environmentally friendly: they are solvent-free and emit no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
In the future, it will be possible to make these blades with Elium®, the new thermoplastic resin for recyclable composites.
No solar panels without high-performance silicon cells!
Photovoltaic panels are undergoing rapid development. Their advantage is that they offer an inexhaustible source of energy with no emissions
of greenhouse gases. Solar panels incorporate materials that have to durably withstand UV rays. Our Evatane® resin, a polyolefin cured by
Luperox® organic peroxide, is used to encapsulate silicon cells and protect electrical circuits.
Its high resistance to UV rays and its transparency (over 92%) make it a durable
and economical material of choice for protecting cells that capture the sun’s rays and transform them into electricity.