Under long-term high-load operation of PV power plants, creep deformation at mounting connection points—caused by thermal cycling accumulation—is a key failure mode triggering micro-cracks, loosening, and even collapse. Traditional PA66 exhibits a 1000-hour creep strain of 1.8% at 80°C, far exceeding the safety threshold (0.3%). Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), with ultra-high thermal conductivity (5300 W/m·K) and specific surface area (2630 m²/g), provide a new pathway to solve this problem. Based on field data from Zhuhai Jiali across three major bases, this article reveals for the first time the full engineering application panorama of GNP-CF/PA66 composites.
1. In-situ Reduction-Ultrasound Dispersion Process: Graphene oxide (GO) and PA66 chips are co-dissolved in formic acid, then hydrazine hydrate is added under nitrogen protection to reduce GO to GNP in-situ; simultaneous 40 kHz ultrasound (power density 1.2 W/cm²) uniformly exfoliates and stably disperses GNP into the PA66 melt, with GNP agglomerate size <200 nm.
2. Carbon Fiber Surface Grafting Modification: γ-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) aminizes CF surfaces, followed by amide condensation between CF amino groups and GNP carboxyl groups, constructing a 'CF-GNP-PA66' 3D thermal conduction network, reducing interfacial thermal resistance to 0.8×10⁻⁹ m²·K/W (76% lower than unmodified CF).
Field-tested at the National Plastics Testing Center:
1. Golmud 500 MW Power Plant, Qinghai: GNP-CF/PA66 M24×300 mm anchor bolts replace 316L stainless steel, reducing weight per bolt by 68%, decreasing total mounting weight by 22.4%, and increasing installation efficiency by 2.8×; after 5 years, measured creep strain <0.25%, torque decay rate only 0.09%/year.
2. Ningxia Zhongwei 300 MW Agri-PV Project: Rail connectors made from this composite show zero micro-cracks from thermal fatigue after 5 years, reducing mounting connection loosening rate by 97.1%.
3. Yangjiang 200 MW Offshore PV Project, Guangdong: Combined with micro-arc oxidation coating, it achieves dual 'thermal conduction–corrosion resistance' protection; after 5 years, surface temperature is 12.3°C lower than 316L, and salt fog corrosion rate decreases by 89.4%.
Graphene-enhanced composites are not simple performance stacking—they are a multiscale, multiphysics systems engineering solution. GNPs provide thermal pathways, CF provides mechanical scaffolding, and PA66 provides processing windows—none can be omitted. Looking ahead, AI-driven interfacial molecular dynamics simulation and digital twin-driven creep lifetime prediction will usher in a new era for PV fastener materials.