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Development of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-Based Hydrophobic Coating for Self-clean Solar Panels

  • Research Article-Chemical Engineering
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Abstract

The effectiveness of commercial solar panels is directly correlated with the amount of light absorbed. The purpose of this study was to create a spray-coated self-cleaning coating utilizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for glass surfaces. The coated substrates were thoroughly analyzed using several techniques, such as contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmittance measurements. The AFM analysis substantiated the presence of flake-like particles, contributing to a surface roughness of 0.052 µm (root-mean-square roughness, Rq = 0.069 µm). The findings demonstrated that the concentration of PDMS solutions had a direct impact on the hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties of the coated surfaces. As the concentration of PDMS varied from 0 to 1.5%, there was a corresponding increase in the contact angle from 74.8° to 135.58°. Throughout this concentration range, the transmittance exhibited consistent behavior. The coating underwent rigorous UV exposure and peel tests, affirming its excellent stability and durability on glass substrates. The peel test indicated a slight decrease in the contact angle from 133 to 131°.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their appreciation for the support and funding received from HEC Pakistan (CPEC-Collaborative Research Grant, Project No. CPEC-8). Special thanks are extended to the PPE Department of UET Lahore for providing laboratory access. The authors also appreciate the testing and characterization facilities provided by the CRF lab of KFUPM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymer and Process Engineering (PPE) Department, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Abdul Rehman, Maliha Hanif, Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Qaisar Furqan & Umer Mehmood

  2. Core Research Facilities (CRF), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Muhammad Younas

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  1. Muhammad Abdul Rehman
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  2. Maliha Hanif
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Correspondence to Muhammad Younas or Umer Mehmood.

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Rehman, M.A., Hanif, M., Umar, M. et al. Development of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-Based Hydrophobic Coating for Self-clean Solar Panels. Arab J Sci Eng 49, 8079–8086 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-08647-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-08647-2

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