Durability of Solar Reflective Materials with an Alumina Hard Coat Produced by Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition: Preprint
A promising low-cost reflector material for solar concentrating power (CSP) generation is a silvered substrate protected by an alumina coating several microns thick. The alumina hard coat is deposited under high vacuum by ion-beam-assisted-deposition (IBAD). Samples of this material have been produced both by batch and continuous roll-coating processes. The substrate materials investigated were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PET laminated to stainless-steel foil, and chrome-plated carbon steel strip. The advantage of steel strip compared to PET is that it withstands a higher process temperature and lowers the final product installation costs. In this paper, we compare the durability of batch and roll-coated reflective materials with an alumina deposition rate as high as 10 nm/s. In general, the durability of the samples is found to be excellent. Comparisons between accelerated and outdoor exposure testing results indicate that these front-surface mirrors are more susceptible to weather conditions not simulated by accelerated tests (i.e., rain, sleet, snow, etc.) than other types of solar reflectors. For long-term durability, edge protection will be necessary, and durability could be improved by the addition of an adhesion-promoting layer between the silver and alumina.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO. (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99-GO10337
- OSTI ID:
- 15002207
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-520-32824; TRN: US200408%%167
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Conference title not supplied, Conference location not supplied, Conference dates not supplied; Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 2002; Related Information: Prepared for the 2002 AIMCAL Fall Technical Conference, 16th International Vacuum Web Coating Conference, 21-23 October 2002, Sedona, Arizona
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Progress toward achieving a commercially viable solar reflective material
Production of Solar Reflective Materials Using a Laboratory-Scale Roll Coater: Final Subcontract Report, September 30, 2004
Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
CARBON STEELS
COATINGS
DEPOSITION
MIRRORS
POLYETHYLENES
RAIN
SILVER
SNOW
SOLAR REFLECTORS
STEELS
SUBSTRATES
TESTING
WEATHER
PV
SOLAR CONCENTRATING POWER (CSP)
ALUMINA HARD COAT
ION-BEAM-ASSISTED DEPOSITION
REFLECTOR MATERIAL
LOW-COST
DURABILITY
ACCELERATED TESTING
CAGE PROTECTION
POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET)
SOLAR ENERGY - PHOTOVOLTAICS