3M™ Solar Mirror Film 1100
Application Guide
General Background
3M™ Solar Mirror Film is an adhesive backed,
metallized silver film that has been engineered for
solar power applications in outdoor environments.
This film has inherent properties for durability in
most climates and conditions. To insure that the film
maintains its performance over time, the following
procedures and best practices should be followed.
This guideline addresses the following general topics:
A Substrate/metal panel selection
B Lamination of film to panel
C Edge sealing/protection
D Panel cleaning
The table below serves as a guide only and needs
to be verified for each individual substrate selected
because of the many different grades of materials and
painting systems. It is understood that there are ways
to improve some properties, e.g. FRP optics may be
improved by special gel-coat surface treatment, etc.
Primary considerations:
1 E nvironmental Corrosion Resistance (ECR) – ability
of the substrate to last 20 years
2 Optical Performance (Optics) – Surface able
to have sufficient smoothness to maintain high
specularity
3 Compatibility of Substrate with Mirror Film (Comp)
– Galvanic interaction with silver of mirror film and
adhesion to substrate
Substrate
ECR
Optics
Painted Aluminum*
✓
✓
✓
Painted Steel*
Painted Galvanized Steel*
Stainless Steel
FRP – fiber reinforced plastic
Glass
Aluminum
Steel
Galvanized Steel
Galvalume Steel
Excellent ✓
Intermediate
●
• Painted substrates having scratches or defects
where bare metal is exposed should not be used.
• The film is designed to be applied to a rigid
substrate.
• It is not recommended to apply the film to a
substrate that is hygroscopic or that can trap
water (e.g. polycarbonate, cardboard, honeycomb
laminate panels, rails where the edge of the film
can sit in accumulated dew or rainwater).
• It is not recommended to use roll forming
techniques after lamination of film.
Note: The following technical
information and data should be
considered representative or
typical only and should not be
used for specification purposes.
B. Lamination
Recommendations
A. Substrate
Recommendations
Painted Galvalume*
Other Substrate Recommendations
Basic Requirements for Good Results:
1 Proper equipment
2 Proper lamination conditions
3 Clean substrates
1. Proper Equipment – Best Practices
There are several variables that can affect proper
lamination conditions. Most of these variables are
a result of laminator condition and adjustments.
These problems can cause completely unsatisfactory
laminations.
Liner Rewind
Comp
✓
●
✓
●
✓
✓
●
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
●
●
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
x
✓
✓
x
●
●
x
●
✓
x
Not recommended x
Unwind
Adhesive Side
Premask Side
Adjustable Nip Roller
Sheet Stock
Rubber
Infeed Table
Outfeed Table
Steel
With a typical laminator, there can be many variations,
but all should use this basic thread up.
Note: With all substrates, it is
recommended that 3M Solar Mirror
Film edge be sealed with a durable
sealant, such as 3M recommended
tapes and/or caulks.
See Safety precautions on the safety
insert in the package.
* Painted metal substrates:
The customer should review the
suitability of the painted surface for
durability in their system. Specifically,
the customer should review whether
the peel adhesion between the 3M
Solar Mirror Film 1100 & painted
substrate meets design criteria, and
whether the paint selection is durable
during manufacture, installation and
operation processes. Preliminary
recommendations of paint systems
are polyesters, acrylics, and epoxy/
polyester paints. The application
method of painting should also be
considered. PVC & PVDF paints are
not recommended.
Application Guide
January 2012
3M™ Solar Mirror Film 1100 Application Guide
Roll Condition
Smooth, clean, parallel, properly adjusted pressure.
It is also very important that the roll of laminating adhesive be threaded
into the machine so that there is a good, smooth wrap around the rubber
roll. This will smooth the adhesive and liner and prepare it to be laid
down onto the substrate. A lesser degree of roll wrap will not accomplish
this and wrinkling and bubbling may result.
2. Proper Lamination Conditions – Best Practices
Good lamination must start with nip rolls in excellent condition and
adjustment. The upper and lower rolls should be smooth, clean, parallel,
and have left and right side pressure adjustability. Concave, convex,
or canted rolls will cause problems such as poor adhesion, adhesive
picking, lifting, wrinkling, trapped air bubbles and web steering difficulty.
Line Speed
10 – 25 fpm
Film Tension
0.75 – 1.25 pli
Nip Force
Nip Roller Temperature
0.5 – 1.0 pli
Room temp common
(film should not be raised above 65°C)
Nip Pressure
• Air cylinder adjusters (preferable)
• Screw adjusters
• Lower pressure for softer adhesives and fragile substrates
• Higher pressure for firm adhesives and substrates
Problems
Poor bond, adhesive picking, trapped air bubbles
• Must be uniform across web
Do
Problems
Poor bond, edge life, bubbles
Don’t
Problems
Steering, wrinkles, bubbles
Feed – In and Out
Smooth, clean, parallel, properly adjusted pressure.
Do: In and Out– Same Plane
Nip roll pressures can be controlled either manually by screw downs
or by air cylinders. The best design would be single control for
simultaneous and uniform adjustment of both actuators. The major
problems of non-uniform pressure as shown (exaggerated) here, are
wrinkling and steering of the web and substrate.
A common application problem is caused if the technique allows the
laminating adhesive to contact the substrate prior to the nip pressure
point. Air entrapment can only be minimized or eliminated by keeping
the adhesive off the substrate until it enters the nip contact point.
Roll pressure is best determined by trial, and depends on the firmness of
the adhesive, type of substrate and rolls. Roll pressure must be uniform
across the web to prevent wrinkles and to give the proper adhesive
contact and bond strength.
Don’t
General Nip Roll Characteristics
Avoid Offset
The in and out feed tables must be at the same level or plane and should
be of adequate length to hold at least one sheet of substrate. There
will normally be curl stresses if the out feed table is positioned as
shown above.
2
A. Adjustable Nip Roll = Rubber or elastomer
Urethane Silicone Neoprene
• 35 – 40 Shore A durometer hardness for urethane
or neoprene
• 60 – 80 Shore A for silicone
• Adjustable nip roll applies pressure to laminating
adhesive and rubber allows deflection to compensate
for caliper variations.
B. Bottom (back-up) Roll = Steel, hard rubber, or chromium plated to
resist corrosion and nicks, and easy to clean.
C. To prevent roll deflection, a ratio of 1:7 between the roll diameter
and roll width is recommended. For example, an 8” roll diameter
would be required for a 60” wide laminator.
When laminating an adhesive to a substrate, utilize a firm (steel)
back-up roll and a softer elastomeric adjustable nip roll to compensate
for any caliper variations to give a more uniform pressure distribution.
3. Clean Substrates – Best Practices
• Buff out scratches and remove burrs, lips or sharp edges from
panels to protect nip rollers from damage during lamination.
• Wipe panels clean from small debris, dirt or oil on the laminated
surface using isopropyl alcohol or other appropriate solvent.
Allow panel to dry completely.
• Use care not to create scratches onto the laminated surface.
4. Final Recommendations for Lamination
• Hand or Field lamination is not recommended.
• Wet lamination is not recommended (e.g. where a surfactant is
applied to the surface of the substrate prior to lamination for
wetting purposes).
• Bubbles, wrinkles, cracks in the acrylic or areas where
the film is not smoothly adhered to the substrate must
be avoided.
• Clean room lamination is much preferred but not required
• For thick panels, laminate in fixed gap mode to reduce chances
of damaging nip rollers. Gap setting should be slightly thinner
than input panels.
• Avoid stopping lamination once a panel has entered the nip.
• Dragging objects over the mirrored surface or dragging the
mirrored surface on the ground may cause scratching.
• Film is designed to be laminated onto flat substrates. Lamination
to create parts having multiple radii of curvature requires either
stamping or a thermoforming process. This should be evaluated
by the customer for suitability and durability.
• Film is not designed to be removable once laminated to
substrate panels.
Edge Tape:
• 3 M™ Polyurethane Protective Tape 8672GB; available in
1/2" × 36 yds; Part # 70-0000-8352-0.
Caulk:
• 3M™ Scotch-Weld DP810NS Acrylic Adhesive, Tan; available in
50, 200, or 400 ml cartridges.
Procedures
• After lamination, slice laminated panel from roll with utility blade and
remove excess film from edge of substrate using a single edge razor
blade, scalpel, or utility blade. Hold blade at a high angle to the edge.
Film should be cleanly removed from the substrate edges (i.e. no
overhang).
• Peel back protective premask to expose the edge prior to edge sealing
in next step.
• For “full lamination,” where the 3M Solar Mirror Film covers the
substrate from edge to edge completely: Apply edge tape to two
parallel edges first, then apply to the other two edges. Tape should
extend at least 6 mm (0.25”) onto the Mirror Film; then wrap tape
completely around edge to back side of panel, being careful to avoid
wrinkles or creases. See “Full lamination” diagram below.
• For “picture frame lamination,” where the Mirror Film extends to only
two edges of the substrate. Apply tape to the picture frame edge first,
positioning 6 mm of the tape on the Mirror Film and 6 mm on the
substrate. Then apply tape to the other two edges by extending
6 mm onto the Mirror Film; then wrap tape completely around edge
to back side of panel, being careful to avoid wrinkles or creases. See
“Picture frame lamination” diagram below.
Full Lamination: 3M Solar Mirror Film covers entire surface
Mirror film on
substrate with
razor trimmed
edges
Edge tape two
parallel edges
first, followed
by the other
two edges
6 mm
C. Edge Sealing Recommendations
3M™ Solar Mirror Film is a multi-layer film product. It is important
that the film edges be protected to prevent moisture ingress that can
lead to corrosion or delamintion between the metal and polymer layers.
This section describes the current best practices for achieving a proper
edge seal.
Edge trimming equipment:
• Sharp rotary blade
• Sharp blade (e.g. box cutter) and optional straight edge
• Customer can evaluate laser trimming to determine suitability
Picture Frame Lamination: 3M Solar Mirror Film extends
to two edges only
Mirror film on
substrate with
two razor
trimmed edges
Edge tape two
parallel edges
first, followed
by the other
two edges
6 mm
3
3M™ Solar Mirror Film 1100 Application Guide
• C aulk should be applied to the edge taped corners, surfaces where
the film does not extend all the way to the edge, or to surfaces where
a rail or similar feature enables durable bonding of the caulk.
• In general, caulk should be applied at any gaps where moisture could
penetrate to the edge of the film.
Epoxy example: 3M™ Scotch-Weld™
DP810NS Acrylic adhesive
• Studies performed on 3M™ Solar Mirror Film 1100 have shown that
pressure washing is the preferred method of cleaning our film.
• A NorthStar™ Pressure Washer, SN: M1573021C (2750 psi,
2.5 GPM) was used to analyze cleaning methods.
• It is recommended to clean panels with a nozzle cone angle of at
least 15°, at a distance of at least 1 ft from panel with a similar
pressure washer. No surfactants should be used, only (preferably)
DI water.
• If a larger unit is used, it is recommended to first test appropriate
nozzle cone angle and spray distance from film.
• Wiping film with cloths or brushes is not recommended, but
if necessary can be performed using a water-moistened
3M™ Microfiber Cloth with gentle hand pressure.
D. Cleaning Recommendations
• C are should be taken to ensure that cleaning protocol is compatible
with preferred edge seal method.
• R ain washing of the reflectors, where water is allowed to collect
or pool in the reflector for several hours, is not recommended as
a cleaning method.
United States
3M Renewable Energy Division
800 755 2654
Germany
49 2131 144450
Denmark
45 43 480100
Spain
34 91 3216000
France
33 1 30316161
China
86 21 62753535
Brazil
0800 13 23 33
Malaysia
603 78062888
United Kingdom
44 1344 858000
Korea
82 2 3771 4043
Mexico
52 55 52702250
Other Areas
800 755 2654
Italy
39 02 70351
India
91 80 22231414
Taiwan
886 933 896752
Singapore
65 6450 8888
Canada
800 364 3577
Japan
81 3 3709 8283
For more information on our solar manufacturing product line, contact 3M Renewable Energy at 800-755-2654 or visit us at www.3M.com/solar.
Technical Information: The technical information, recommendations and other statements contained in this document are based upon tests or experience that 3M believes are reliable, but
the accuracy or completeness of such information is not guaranteed.
Product Use: Many factors beyond 3M’s control and uniquely within user’s knowledge and control can affect the use and performance of a 3M product in a particular application. Given the
variety of factors that can affect the use and performance of a 3M product, user is solely responsible for evaluating the 3M product and determining whether it is fit for a particular purpose
and suitable for user’s method of application.
Warranty, Limited Remedy, and Disclaimer: Unless an additional warranty is specifically stated on the applicable 3M product packaging or product literature, 3M warrants that each 3M
product meets the applicable 3M product specification at the time 3M ships the product. 3M MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT
NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR CONDITION ARISING OUT
OF A COURSE OF DEALING, CUSTOM OR USAGE OF TRADE. If the 3M product does not conform to this warranty, then the sole and exclusive remedy is, at 3M’s option, replacement of the
3M product or refund of the purchase price.
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consequential, regardless of the legal theory asserted, including warranty, contract, negligence or strict liability.
3
Renewable Energy Division
3M Center, Building 235-1S-67
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
1-800-755-2654
www.3M.com/solar
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