Solar Cell Panel Composite Surface for Wear-Resistant Self-Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-cleaning solar cell panels face challenges in maintaining both high light transmittance and mechanical stability due to the poor wear resistance and scratch resistance of superhydrophobic surfaces, which are prone to damage from friction and high-speed water impacts.
Innovation Solution
A wear-resistant self-cleaning solar cell panel is developed with a composite surface comprising microstructures and superhydrophobic nanomaterials, where inverted pyramidal or conical microstructures provide protection to nanostructures, ensuring mechanical stability while maintaining high transmittance through the use of materials like glass, quartz, and nano silica, and employing methods such as in-situ deposition and embossing for surface preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If superhydrophobic nanomaterials are applied to achieve self-cleaning effect, then light transmittance is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates due to poor wear resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds superhydrophobic nanomaterials inside inverted microstructures formed on the transparent substrate. The nanomaterials are filled within the protected cavity of the microstructure, creating a nested configuration where the robust microstructure shields the delicate nanomaterials from external mechanical damage while preserving the self-cleaning functionality at the inner surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite surface structure combining the transparent substrate with inverted microstructures and superhydrophobic nanomaterials. This multi-component composite system integrates the mechanical strength of the substrate and microstructure with the optical and self-cleaning properties of the nanomaterials, achieving both high light transmittance and mechanical stability.
2Reliability
If micro or nanostructure is used to provide roughness for superhydrophobicity, then self-cleaning performance is improved, but light transmittance deteriorates due to light scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The nanomaterials are nested within the inverted microstructures, allowing the roughness needed for superhydrophobicity to be confined inside the microstructure cavity rather than exposed on the outer surface. This positioning reduces light scattering while maintaining the self-cleaning effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverted microstructures are designed with specific geometric parameters (depth, width, spacing) to create localized roughness only where needed for superhydrophobicity. The structure transitions from rough inside the cavity to smooth on the outer surface, optimizing both self-cleaning performance and light transmittance through localized structural quality control.
3Reliability
If nanostructure is used to achieve superhydrophobicity, then contact angle is improved, but wear resistance deteriorates due to friction damage during installation and transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The delicate nanomaterials that provide superhydrophobicity are nested within the protective cavity of the inverted microstructures. This nesting configuration shields the nanomaterials from external friction and mechanical damage during installation, transportation, and use, while still allowing them to maintain their superhydrophobic properties at the inner surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverted microstructure acts as a pre-established protective barrier that cushions and absorbs external mechanical stresses before they can reach the nanomaterials. This beforehand cushioning prevents friction damage to the superhydrophobic layer during handling and installation processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite surface achieves excellent wear resistance, scratch resistance, and high-speed water impact resistance, maintaining self-cleaning performance and high light transmittance, thereby enhancing the mechanical stability and compatibility of solar cell panels.
Implementation Method 1
The surface of the superhydrophobic material generally has characteristics having a contact angle of water of 150° or more and a roll-off angle of water of 10° or less. Superhydrophobicity typically depends on the low surface energy and the roughness provided by a micro or nanostructure.
Implementation Method 2
Recently, people tried to use superhydrophobic surfaces with lotus self-cleaning effect to remove dust, thereby maintaining a high light transmittance of the solar cell panel.
Implementation Method 3
In addition, the micro or nanostructure that provides roughness often causes light scattering that reduces the light transmittance.
Implementation Method 4
the microstructure is an inverted pyramid or an inverted conical hole
Data Source
AI summary
A wear-resistant self-cleaning solar cell panel includes a transparent substrate. A plurality of continuous microstructures are arranged on the transparent substrate, and each microstructure is an inverted pyramid or an inverted conical hole, and the microstructure is filled with a plurality of superhydrophobic nanomaterials, the microstructures and the superhydrophobic nanomaterials jointly constitute a composite surface of the solar cell panel. An angle of a side wall of the inverted pyramid or the inverted conical hole is α, wherein 30°<α<90°. A side length of the microstructure is a, wherein 1 μm<a<2 mm. A spacing between adjacent microstructures is b, wherein 10 nm<b<2 mm. The superhydrophobic nanomaterials are filled into the microstructure by an in-situ deposition method or an indirect filling method.