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Title: Artificial linear brush abrasion of coatings for photovoltaic module first-surfaces

Journal Article · · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [5];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [6]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). National Center for Photovoltaics
  2. City Univ. of New York (CUNY), NY (United States)
  3. SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  4. Loughborough Univ. (United Kingdom)
  5. ARL Designs LLC, New York, NY (United States)
  6. City Univ. of New York (CUNY), NY (United States); ARL Designs LLC, New York, NY (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Natural soiling and the subsequent necessary cleaning of photovoltaic (PV) modules result in abrasion damage to the cover glass. The durability of the front glass has important economic consequences, including determining the use of anti-reflective and/or anti-soiling coatings as well as the method and frequency of operational maintenance (cleaning). Artificial linear brush abrasion using Nylon 6/12 bristles was therefore examined to explore the durability of representative PV first-surfaces, i.e., the surface of a module incident to direct solar radiation. Specimens examined include silane surface functionalized-, roughened (etched)-, porous silica-coated-, fluoropolymer-coated-, and ceramic (TiO2 or ZrO2/SiO2/ZrO2/SiO2)-coated-glass, which are compared to monolithic-poly(methyl methacrylate) and -glass coupons. Characterization methods used in this study include: optical microscopy, ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) spectroscopy, sessile drop goniometry, white-light interferometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and depth-profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The corresponding characteristics examined include: surface morphology, transmittance (i.e., optical performance), surface energy (water contact angle), surface roughness, scratch width and depth, and chemical composition, respectively. The study here was performed to determine coating failure modes; identify characterization methods that can detect nascent failures; compare the durability of popular contemporary coating materials; identify their corresponding damage characteristics; and compare slurry and dry-dust abrasion. This study will also aid in developing an abrasion standard for the PV industry.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; ECCS-1542152; DE‐AC36‐08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1665884
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1811059
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5K00-77708; MainId:30623; UUID:777933c2-6cc5-4d11-82cf-15ce525d6555; MainAdminID:18574
Journal Information:
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 219; ISSN 0927-0248
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
abrasion
anti reflective coating
anti soiling coating
erosion
module reliability
operations maintenance
PMMA
PV reliability