L'objectif du projet RUBANSOLAIRE est de démontrer la faisabilité de cellules photovoltaïques à haut rendement et à bas coût en utilisant du ruban silicium flexible. Le premier volet du projet est le développement du procédé de croissance ruban appelé RST (Ruban de silicium sur Substrat Temporaire) pour l'obtention de films ultraminces de silicium. Ce procédé permet le dépôt d'un film de silicium sur chacune des faces opposées d'un support en carbone (disponible en rouleaux), qui est ensuite éliminé par brûlage. Aujourd'hui, Ce procédé de tirage de rubans est le seul qui offre les potentialités de tirage de films ultraminces (50-80µm) à relativement grande vitesse (10 cm/mn). Cependant, les propriétés mécaniques de tels matériaux nécessitent des investigations poussées pour en augmenter la tenue aux chocs et aux différents traitements nécessaires à la fabrication des cellules solaires. _x000D_ Le second volet du projet est le développement de concepts et de procédés innovants, tels que de nouvelles méthodes de passivation de surface et de dépôts de contacts, combinés à des architectures de cellules à hétérojonctions (HJT) et à contact en face arrière (RCC) avec un objectif de haut rendement (16%) et de faible coût de fabrication _x000D_ Enfin, une étude technico-économique sera réalisée pour évaluer la pertinence d'un développement industriel des différents procédés proposés dans le projet. _x000D_

Nowadays, the performance of composite materials in structural applications is routinely demonstrated. However, the inability to efficiently produce complex and/or large composite structures limits their diffusion in terms of fields of applications. The actual trend in the composite industry focused on high performance materials for aeronautic applications is to produce larger and larger parts with increasing geometrical complexity and number of integrated functions. This project perfectly fits in the general problematic of understanding the multi-physic mechanisms involved during both the forming phase of composite materials and the processing one using LCM (Liquid Composite Moulding) processes. This project will allow to realise a real technological breakthrough by developing three 'new' LCM processes: 1. New LCM process applied to 3D non-periodic materials 2. New LCM process applied to non-developable (highly deformed) shapes 3. New LCM process applied to axisymetric shapes and ablative materials Furthermore, this project will also consists in a real scientific breakthrough as actually, there is no available numerical code which allows to link the multi-scale aspects of the aimed processes (forming and LCM) together with the coupling between fluid and solid deformations as well as the prediction of micro and macro voids formation. The main contribution from this innovative numerical tool concerns the analysis of non-periodical heterogeneous mediums coming from the new concept of 'by-design' 3D materials as well as the accurate investigation of the particular defects arising from the combination of these materials and their production means. In addition, new thermoplastic matrix will be taken into account and finally, the foreseen benefits might be used by a much broader range of industries than just the aeronautic ones. Moreover, this approach on the accurate numerical simulation of processes will have to (partially) fulfil the existing gap between mechanical and process simulation. Indeed, due to cultural and scientific reasons, process and mechanical aspects of the composites are generally treated as two distinct problems even tough the process parameters greatly influence the final properties of the material. Our procedure will act as the missing link allowing a multi-scale approach from the process up to the mechanical properties determination: the heterogeneities will not any more be treated with simplistic hypothesis before structure calculation, but rather directly from a precise modelisation of both forming and injection processes to take into account the defects generated during the whole process by integrating non-periodical aspect of the reinforcement as well as the fluid-solid interactions. Furthermore, this will permit to chose and adapt the processes by defining structural health and geometrical criteria. Finally, the complementarities together with the diversity of the partners of this consortium, leading aeronautic industrials, specialised SME in simulation and well established laboratories covering all the aspects of the project constitute a very strong guarantee that convincing results will be produced throughout the course of this project.