Self – cleaning superhydrophobic coatings: Potential industrial applications

Latthe, Sanjay S.; Sutar, Rajaram S.; Kodag, Vishnu S.; Bhosale, Appasaheb K.; Kumar, A. Madhan; Sadasivuni, Kishor Kumar; Xing, Ruimin; Liu, Shanhu

doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.12.008

Cited by 430 publications

(171 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…However, such systems consume a considerable amount of water, which is particularly challenging for desert regions facing water scarcity [20]. In addition, the brush or wiper systems are likely to cause damage to PV panel surfaces, hence performance losses, requiring regular maintenance and high upfront investment [6].Currently, coating for solar systems uses either super-hydrophobic or hydrophilic material [21,22] with new transparent super-hydrophobic surfaces being designed for better durability [23]. However, although the coating materials are effective as applied, their durability and lifetime still require future validation [6,20].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

et al. 2019

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Dust accumulation on solar photovoltaic (PV) modules reduces light transmission from the outer surfaces to the solar cells reducing photon absorption and thus contributing to performance reduction of PV systems. In regions such as the Middle East where dust is prevalent and rainfall is scarce, remedial measures are needed to reduce such impacts. Currently, various techniques are being employed to address such sand soiling ranging from mechanical (brushing) to active and passive electrical interventions. This research focuses on mechanical approaches encompassing module vibration, air and water jets, and combinations of these. A reconfigurable pilot-scale testbed of 8 kWp PV plant was installed on a carport shading system within the campus of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The functional PV carport was configured to allow water recovery and re-use within the testbed. Here, we discuss the overall cleaning design philosophy and approach, systems design, and how multiple cleaning configurations can be realised within the overall PV carport. Results indicate that in this location, sand soiling has a significant effect on performance of PV modules on a timescale of days. In addition, water jets optimised for high volume and low pressure were effective at reducing sand soiling with array power output increasing by over 27%, whilst air jets and module vibration were less effective in reducing soiling to an acceptable level. Overall, the testbed has provided a new approach to testing a combination of cleaning solutions in the field coupled with used water recovery. The proposed approach is important, as currently, there are a large number of solar PV projects being built in Saudi Arabia with more being planned for the future.the modules impacting photon absorption by the solar cells [5,6]. As deposition increases, it results in progressive conversion efficiency losses and hence reduced energy yields from the modules and the overall array [7]. For example, it was shown that in one month the output from an outdoor PV system in Saudi Arabian conditions reduced by over 5% due to dust accumulation [8]. A similar experiment in Abu Dhabi showed a reduction of PV output of around 13% for a similar period [9]. In a review of over eighty recent publications, it was found that the loss in power generation due to dust accumulation on solar PV systems can exceed 40% [10]. Such reduction, which is often quantified by the soiling rate, is found to be strongly affected by four factors: (1) geographic location; (2) physical properties of dust particles, such as size; (3) PV module surface roughness; and (4) weather conditions [11]. Other studies showed that there is a clear difference of particle sizes from sand collected from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, which leads to a different level of soiling rate [12]. Similar observations were made in a study comparing sand samples showing significant difference of particle size from Doha and Namibia [5].Furthermore, weather conditions such as rainfall frequency, humidity, and wi...

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confidence: 99%

“…Currently, coating for solar systems uses either super-hydrophobic or hydrophilic material [21,22] with new transparent super-hydrophobic surfaces being designed for better durability [23]. However, although the coating materials are effective as applied, their durability and lifetime still require future validation [6,20].…”

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confidence: 99%

Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

et al. 2019

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“…sprayed the suspension of SiO 2 in alcohol on paper and confirmed dependency of superhydrophobicity on the aggregation states of nanoparticles, which are determined by the type of alcohol used in the suspensions. Latthe et al . have applied the suspension of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles on various types of industrial objects including the body of motorcycle, building wall, mini boat, solar cell panel, window glass, cotton shirt, fabric shoes, paper (currency notes), metal, wood, sponges, plastic and marble, and so on.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Durable Self‐Cleaning Superhydrophobic Coating of SiO₂–Cyanoacrylate Adhesive via Facile Dip Coat Technique

Sutar

Latthe

Bhosale

et al. 2019

Macromolecular Symposia

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The hydrophobic silica nanoparticles have been widely used in the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study, we prepared superhydrophobic coating using hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles by facile dip coat technique. After that, a layer of cyanoacrylate adhesive was applied to improve the durability of the superhydrophobic coating. Finally, the coating was annealed at 200 °C for 10 min. A water drop on prepared superhydrophobic coating showed contact angle ≈173° and sliding angle ≈1°. The prepared superhydrophobic coating revealed self‐cleaning behavior for more than 2 years. This approach can be useful for fabrication of superhydrophobic coating for practical industrial application including solar panel, windows glass, vehicle glass and fabrics, and so on.

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“…By converting the hydrophilic hydroxyl groups into hydrophobic groups via chemical modification, the water resistance and dimensional stability of wood can be significantly improved. This will be beneficial to increase their durability and extend their service life [2][3][4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Simple and Efficient Method to Fabricate Superhydrophobic Wood with Enhanced Mechanical Durability

Han

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2019

Forests

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The poor durability and complex production process are two tough challenges for the practical application of superhydrophobic wood. In this work, high-mechanical-resistance superhydrophobic wood was fabricated by a one-step hydrothermal vacuum dipping method using SiO 2 nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs) in combination with vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). The as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces exhibited water contact angles (CAs) greater than 152 • and water sliding angles (SAs) less than 3 • . It also exhibited robust stability and durability in harsh conditions, including finger wiping, water brushing, intense sandpaper abrasion, and severe ultrasonic cleaning. The superhydrophobic surface was created by the random distribution of oligomer-wrapped SiO 2 NP spheres having different sizes. Further testing showed that the SiO 2 NPs were firmly fixed on the wood substrate via chemical bonding, which contributed to the high wear resistance. The modification method developed in this work provides a simple and efficient route to fabricate large-scale, mechanically stable, and durable superhydrophobic surfaces for advanced engineering materials.

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Self – cleaning superhydrophobic coatings: Potential industrial applications

Cited by 430 publications

References 41 publications

Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

Durable Self‐Cleaning Superhydrophobic Coating of SiO₂–Cyanoacrylate Adhesive via Facile Dip Coat Technique

A Simple and Efficient Method to Fabricate Superhydrophobic Wood with Enhanced Mechanical Durability

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Self – cleaning superhydrophobic coatings: Potential industrial applications

Cited by 430 publications

References 41 publications

Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

Dust Removal from Solar PV Modules by Automated Cleaning Systems

Durable Self‐Cleaning Superhydrophobic Coating of SiO2–Cyanoacrylate Adhesive via Facile Dip Coat Technique

A Simple and Efficient Method to Fabricate Superhydrophobic Wood with Enhanced Mechanical Durability

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Product

Resources

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Durable Self‐Cleaning Superhydrophobic Coating of SiO₂–Cyanoacrylate Adhesive via Facile Dip Coat Technique