TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The phosphate-based flame-retardant is chosen from bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate), triphenyl phosphate, resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate), resorcinol bis(di-2,6-dimethylphenyl phosphate), cyclic phosphate, dimethyl methylphosphonate, triethyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, trixylenyl phosphate and cresyl diphenyl phosphate. The crosslinking agent is chosen from 14 compounds e.g. t-butylperoxy isopropyl carbonate, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)hexane, 1,1-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, tert-butylperoxy-2-ethylhexyl carbonate and 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)hexane. The antioxidant is chosen from 8 compounds e.g. tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite, distearyl pentaerythritol diphosphite, bis(2,4-di-cumylphenyl)pentaerythritol diphosphite, tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)phosphite and octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate. The light stabilizer is chosen from 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid hexadecyl ester, tris(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)phosphite, bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate and succinic acid-and 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine-ol polymer. The ultraviolet absorber is chosen from 45 compounds e.g. 2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)bis-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one, 2,2'-tetramethylene bis(3,1-benzoxazin-4-one), 2,2'-decamethylene bis(3,1-benzoxazin-4-one), 1,3,5-tris(3,1-benzoxazin-4-one-2-yl)benzene and 2,4,6-tris(3,1-benzoxazin-4-one-2-yl)naphthalene. The tackifier is chosen from ( gamma )-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, ( gamma )-methacrylic acyloxy trimethoxysilane, ( gamma )-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and ( gamma )-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Composition: The photovoltaic encapsulating matrix material comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyvinyl butyral, metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene, ethylene-octene copolymer, ethylene-pentene copolymer, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer and ethylene methyl methacrylate copolymer.