Production of Ceramic Membrane Based on Acid- and Alkali-Activated Metakaolinite as Cooling Material for Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cell

Abstract

Ceramic membrane based on acid-and alkali-activated metakaolinite has been produced. It was tested as a cooling material for monocrystalline silicon solar cells. The membrane was made by several stages, such as calcination of natural kaolinite at 600 o C for 6 hours to obtain metakaolinite, activation of metakaolinite by concentrated HCl and KOH, and preparation of ceramic membrane. Kaolinite, metakaolinite, and activated metakaolinite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR), and gas sorption analyzer (GSA). Diffractogram of XRD showed that there was a structural change between activated metakaolinite and natural kaolinite. XRF analysis indicated that the Si/Al of HCl activated metakaolinite was three times higher than natural kaolinite. Activated metakaolinite was made into the membrane by adding a binder, then heated at 800 °C for 6 hours. Photovoltaic (PV) cells with and without cooling material were then analyzed their electrical performances. It was found that the maximum energy conversion yield of PV cells without using cooling material was 2.30%, while the maximum energy conversion yield of PV cells with cooling material of meta-kaolinite activated by HCl and KOH were 2.72% and 2.94%, respectively. AbstrakMembran keramik dari metakaolinit teraktivasi asam dan basa telah berhasil diproduksi. Membran keramik tersebut digunakan sebagai material pendingin pada sel surya berbasis silikon. Membran dibuat melalui beberapa tahapan, di antaranya kalsinasi kaolinit alam pada 600 o C selama 6 jam untuk menghasilkan metakaolinit, aktivasi metakaolinit menggunakan larutan HCl dan KOH pekat, dan pembuatan membran keramik. Kaolinit, metakaolinit, dan metakaolinit teraktivasi terlebih dahulu dikarakterisasi menggunakan difraktometer sinar-x (XRD), fluoresensi sinar-x (XRF), spektrofotometer infra merah (FTIR), dan analisis serapan gas (GSA). Hasil analisis XRD menunjukkan telah terjadi perubahan struktur pada metakaolinit teraktivasi dari kaolinit alam. Hasil analisis XRF mengindikasikan peningkatan nilai rasio Si/Al metakaolinit teraktivasi asam tiga kali lebih besar daripada kaolinit alam. Metakaolinit teraktivasi kemudian dibuat menjadi membran dengan penambahan bahan pengikat, dan dipanaskan pada 800 o C selama 6 jam. Sel fotovoltaik (PV) dengan dan tanpa menggunakan membran kemudian dianalisis kinerjanya. Berdasarkan hasil pengukuran kinerja, rendemen konversi energi maksimum pada intensitas cahaya 100 Watt/m 2 yang dihasilkan oleh sel PV tanpa menggunakan material pendingin adalah 2.30%, sedangkan sel PV yang menggunakan material pendingin dari metakaolinit teraktivasi asam dan basa, masing-masing adalah 2.72% dan 2.94%.Kata Kunci: fotovoltaik, material pendingin, membran keramik, metakaolinit.

Characterization and Beneficiation of Ethiopian Kaolin for use in Fabrication of Ceramic Membrane

“…The peaks of the raw, beneficiated, and acid leached, and commercial kaolin clearly shows a sharpness at those bands but the beneficiated, acid leached and calcined kaolin exhibit an insignificant peak. Bands at 763 and 690 were related to the perpendicular vibrations of Si-OH [65]. A band at 910 cm -1 was attributed to OH deformation linked to iron cation (Fe 3+ ) and aluminum cation (Al 3+ ) [50].…”