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Self-Cleaning Microcavity Array for Photovoltaic Modules

Vüllers, Felix 1; Fritz, Benjamin ORCID iD icon 2; Roslizar, Aiman 1; Striegel, Andreas 1; Guttmann, Markus 1; Richards, Bryce Sydney ORCID iD icon 1,2; Hölscher, Hendrik ORCID iD icon 1; Gomard, Guillaume 1,2; Klampaftis, Efthymios 1; Kavalenka, Maryna N. 1
1 Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnik (IMT), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
2 Lichttechnisches Institut (LTI), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

Development of self-cleaning coatings is of great interest for photovoltaic (PV) industry, as soiling of the modules can significantly reduce their electrical output and increase operational costs. We fabricated flexible polymeric films with novel disordered microcavity array (MCA) topography from fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) by hot embossing. Due to their superhydrophobicity with water contact angles above 150° and roll-off angles below 5°, the films posses self-cleaning properties over a wide range of tilt angles, starting at 10°, and contaminant sizes (30µm - 900µm). Droplets which impact the FEP MCA surface with velocities of the same order of magnitude as rain, bounce off the surface without impairing its wetting properties. Additionally, the disordered MCA topography of the films enhances the performance of PV devices by improving light incoupling. Optical coupling of the FEP MCA films to a glass-encapsulated multicrystalline silicon solar cell results in 4.6% enhancement of the electrical output compared to an uncoated device.


Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b15579
Scopus
Zitationen: 18
Web of Science
Zitationen: 16
Dimensions
Zitationen: 18
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Mikrostrukturtechnik (IMT)
Universität Karlsruhe (TH) – Interfakultative Einrichtungen (Interfakultative Einrichtungen)
Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics (KSOP)
Lichttechnisches Institut (LTI)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsdatum 29.12.2017
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 1944-8244, 1944-8252
KITopen-ID: 1000078267
HGF-Programm 43.22.01 (POF III, LK 01) Functionality by Design
Erschienen in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Verlag American Chemical Society (ACS)
Band 10
Heft 3
Seiten 2929-2936
Nachgewiesen in Web of Science
Dimensions
Scopus
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