Indian Journal of Engineering & Materials Sciences

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Experimental Investigation on Synthesis and Characterization of Self-Cleaning Modified Super Hydrophobic Nano-Sio2 Coating for Solar Photovoltaic Applications: Effects of HDTMS and TEA


Affiliations
1 Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal 462 033, India
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur 482 011, India
3 Department of Applied Physics, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur 482 011, India
 

Solar photovoltaics is a significant renewable energy source. However, solar PV panels' efficiency decreases due to dust accumulation on their surface, leading to decreased power and increased maintenance costs. A super-hydrophobic, optically transparent, and self-cleaning modified nano-coatings have been synthesized using HDTMS-nano-silica and applied as a top-glass cover on solar PV cells to address this issue. The nano-coating is found to improve the efficiency of the PV panels and reduce the cleaning costs.

In the first phase, modified HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coatings are synthesized using HDTMS and triethyl amine. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) studies have confirmed the presence of silica nanoparticles and successful modification to HDTMS-nano-SiO2. Five potential samples have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the hydrophobicity is tested using a water contact angle test (WCA). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies have revealed the stability of HDTMS-nano-SiO2 at higher temperatures, and demonstrational assessment of transparency is also tested.

In the second phase, the environmental stability of the HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coating is evaluated using three identical solar PV cells. The experimental results demonstrated that nanomaterial-coated-uncleaned solar PV cells outperform uncoateddusty-uncleaned solar PV cells efficiency by 16% and regularly physically cleaned uncoated solar PV cells efficiency by 6.5%. The nano-coating has a 35-day active duration.

The synthesized HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coating proves to be a cost-effective solution to improve solar PV panels' efficiency by reducing dust accumulation and minimizing cleaning costs. The study demonstrates the potential of self-cleaning nano-coatings for enhancing the performance of solar PV panels.


Keywords

Superhydrophobic transparent coating, Photovoltaics, Hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS), Optically transparent nanocoating, Triethylamine (TEA).
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  • Experimental Investigation on Synthesis and Characterization of Self-Cleaning Modified Super Hydrophobic Nano-Sio2 Coating for Solar Photovoltaic Applications: Effects of HDTMS and TEA

Abstract Views: 89  |  PDF Views: 55

Authors

Abhineet Samadhiya
Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal 462 033, India
Pradeep Kumar Jhinge
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur 482 011, India
Kamal Kumar Kushwah
Department of Applied Physics, Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur 482 011, India

Abstract


Solar photovoltaics is a significant renewable energy source. However, solar PV panels' efficiency decreases due to dust accumulation on their surface, leading to decreased power and increased maintenance costs. A super-hydrophobic, optically transparent, and self-cleaning modified nano-coatings have been synthesized using HDTMS-nano-silica and applied as a top-glass cover on solar PV cells to address this issue. The nano-coating is found to improve the efficiency of the PV panels and reduce the cleaning costs.

In the first phase, modified HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coatings are synthesized using HDTMS and triethyl amine. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) studies have confirmed the presence of silica nanoparticles and successful modification to HDTMS-nano-SiO2. Five potential samples have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the hydrophobicity is tested using a water contact angle test (WCA). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies have revealed the stability of HDTMS-nano-SiO2 at higher temperatures, and demonstrational assessment of transparency is also tested.

In the second phase, the environmental stability of the HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coating is evaluated using three identical solar PV cells. The experimental results demonstrated that nanomaterial-coated-uncleaned solar PV cells outperform uncoateddusty-uncleaned solar PV cells efficiency by 16% and regularly physically cleaned uncoated solar PV cells efficiency by 6.5%. The nano-coating has a 35-day active duration.

The synthesized HDTMS-nano-SiO2 coating proves to be a cost-effective solution to improve solar PV panels' efficiency by reducing dust accumulation and minimizing cleaning costs. The study demonstrates the potential of self-cleaning nano-coatings for enhancing the performance of solar PV panels.


Keywords


Superhydrophobic transparent coating, Photovoltaics, Hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS), Optically transparent nanocoating, Triethylamine (TEA).

References