Nanomaterials
·
2023
·Vol. 13
·期 9
·1570
·
IF 5.3
Weixuan Li,You Chen,Zhibin Jiao
Today, in the fields of optical precision instruments, medical devices, and automotive engineering, the demand for anti-reflection and anti-fog surfaces is growing rapidly. However, the anti-fog function often compromises the efficiency of the anti-reflection function. Therefore, optical precision instruments are always restricted by the inability to combine high anti-reflection efficiency and excellent anti-fog performance into one material. In addition, the synergistic mechanism of harmonizing anti-fogging and anti-reflection is currently unclear, which has a negative impact on the development and optimization of multifunctional surfaces. Herein, bio-inspired anti-fogging and anti-reflection surfaces (BFRSs) possessing multiscale hierarchical columnar structures (MHCS) were obtained using a brief and effective preparation technique, combining the biotemplating method and sol-gel method. Specifically, condensed fog droplets distributed on the BFRS can be absolutely removed within 6 s. In addition, the BFRSs endow the glass substrate with a relatively higher reflectance (17%) than flat glass surfaces (41%). Furthermore, we demonstrated the synergistic mechanism of the anti-fogging and anti-reflection functions of BFRSs. On the one hand, the high transparency benefits from the multiple refraction and scattering of light in the MHCS array. On the other hand, the excellent anti-fogging performance is attributed to the imbalance of the capillary force of the MHCS acting on the liquid film. The explanation for these two mechanisms provides more possibilities for the subsequent preparation of multifunctional surfaces. At the same time, the bionic research concept provides new solutions for the researcher to conquer the combination of high transmission and anti-fog properties for precision optical surfaces.Keywords:bio-inspired hierarchically-architectured surfaces;multiscale columnar structures;anti-fog;anti-reflection;synergistic mechanism of anti-fogging and anti-reflection
研究领域:
材料科学
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光学工程
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生物仿生学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
·
2023
·
IF 5.2
Jiahao Wu,Jeilei Tu,Shouzhe Yu,Hao Wu,Yucen Xie,Yanyun Yang,Zhangyang Xv,Qixin Zhang
Hollow structure-based multifunctional coatings with broadband antireflectivity, self-cleaning performance, stability, and durability can be applied to photovoltaic (PV) modules to maintain high transmittance and increase solar cell power generation. This research prepared bilayer hollow composite nanoparticles by improving and optimizing the nanoparticle synthesis and volume ratios. The optimal volume ratio of hollow SiO 2 to TiO 2 was determined using refractive index , transmittance , surface area, photocatalysis , and thermogravimetry . With the modification effect of methyltriethoxysilane, the refractive index interval of the composite coating was obtained, while giving the coating better hydrophobicity . A three-layer broadband antireflective coating (HT-TGBA) with a gradient refractive index structure was prepared using pre-designed simulation software. Various morphological and structural characterizations of HT-TGBA nanoparticles were performed. The transmittance of HT-TGBA-coated glass was significantly improved compared with that of uncoated glass. Its self-cleaning properties were confirmed by photocatalysis and surface hydrophobicity . Damp heat, abrasion tests, and pencil hardness tests proved the excellent durability of HT-TGBA, and measurements of sustained water contact angles demonstrated its stability. The short-circuit current density and photoelectric conversion efficiency were significantly improved by dip-coating HT-TGBA onto mini-modules. These results demonstrate that HT-TGBA has broad application prospects, supporting future large-scale applications of composite coatings in PV modules.
研究领域:
材料科学
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光伏技术
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纳米技术
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Small
·
2024
·
IF 13
Tianyang Cui,Yapeng Zheng,Mengdi Hu,Bicheng Lin,Jingwen Wang,Wei Cai,Bin Fei,Jixin Zhu,Yuan Hu
Due to the ubiquitous and inexhaustible solar source, photothermal materials have gained considerable attention for their potential in heating and de-icing. Nevertheless, traditional photothermal materials, exemplified by graphene, frequently encounter challenges emanating from their elevated reflectance. Inspired by ocular structures, this study uses the Fresnel equation to enhance the photo-thermal conversion efficiency of graphene by introducing a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) coating, which reduces the light reflectance (≈20%) through destructive interference. The designed coating achieves an equilibrium temperature of ≈77 °C at one sun and a quick de-icing in ≈65 s, all with a thickness of 5 µm. Simulations demonstrate that applying this coating to high-rise buildings results in energy savings of ≈31% in winter heating. Furthermore, the combination of PDMS/SiO 2 and graphene confers a notable enhancement in thermal stability through a synergistic flame-retardant mechanism, effectively safeguarding polyurethane against high temperatures and conflagrations, leading to marked reduction of 58% and 28% in heat release rate and total heat release. This innovative design enhances the photo-thermal conversion, de-icing function, and flame retardancy of graphene, thereby advancing its applications in outdoor equipment, high-rise buildings, and aerospace vessels.
研究领域:
材料科学
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能源工程
·
仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 2.3
Shang Zhihang,Li Zhiqiang,Zhou Xiang,Zhanwang Xingzhou,Nie Lifang,Liu Juncheng
High-hardness hydrophobic anti-reflection thin films were prepared by a mixture of acid-catalyzed and alkali-catalyzed sols using tetraethyl silicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) bisilicon sources as precursors. The alkali-catalyzed SiO 2 sol and the acid-catalyzed SiO 2 sol modified with aliphatic alcohol ethoxylated ether (AEO) were synthesized firstly, and then the acid-catalyzed SiO 2 sol was doped into the alkali-catalyzed SiO 2 sol in a certain ratio to prepare the anti-reflection thin films. The effects of the doping ratio of acid-catalyzed SiO 2 sol on the microstructures and properties of thin films were investigated. The experimental results show that both the transmittance and the contact angle increase and then decrease with the increasing of the doping ratio of acid-catalyzed SiO 2 sol, and the surface hardness and adhesion are gradually enhanced. When the doping ratio of acid-catalyzed SiO 2 sol is 30%, the average transmittance of the reflectance-reducing film is 92.51% in the wavelength range of 400–1100 nm, which is 5.17% higher than that of the blank glass. The water contact angle of the reflectance-reducing film is up to 92°, and the adhesion of the film is the highest level 0. After 100 h of UV exposure, the transmittance of the film was reduced by 1.1%. Graphical
研究领域:
材料科学
·
表面工程
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SOLAR ENERGY
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2020
·
IF 4.608
Jing Zhang,Ling Ai,Yunfei Xu,Xueqin Lou,Pinjun Lan,Yuehui Lu,Ning Dai,Weijie Song
Silica-based antireflection coatings (ARCs) used in photovoltaic (PV) modules often encounter soiling problems, which has been recognized as one of the most serious problems degrading the power output of PV modules. In this work, four kinds of silica-based ARCs were prepared to investigate the effects of surface morphology and chemistry on their anti-soiling properties under Ningbo’s climate. To reveal the influences of surface morphology, hollow silica nanoparticle (HSN)- and solid silica nanoparticle (SSN)-based ARCs were prepared and compared. To understand the surface chemical effects, we comparatively studied the soiling behavior of hydrophilic and hydrophobic HSN ARCs postmodified with methyl and fluorinated groups (named CH 3 -HSN and F-HSN, respectively). After half-year field tests, we found that the HSN ARCs with a rougher surface exhibited better anti-soiling performance than the SSN ARCs. On the other hand, the hydrophilic ARCs showed better soiling resistance than the hydrophobic controls because of the role of rain cleaning in the soiling mitigation of the hydrophilic samples installed at a moderate tilt angle under a typical coastal climate. Comparing the hydrophobic samples modified with methyl and fluorinated groups, the former was superior to the latter in both laboratory and outdoor tests because of the larger adhesion force between contaminants and the surface in the fluorinated-HSN ARCs. These findings provide constructive guidance for the applications of silica-based ARCs in PV modules installed in coastal areas, which is the key to maximizing the power output of PV modules in practice.
研究领域:
材料科学
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能源科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
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2023
·
IF 6.6
Peng Ye,Jianwen Peng,Fei Xu,Haolei Geng,Yanji Zhu,Huaiyuan Wang
Amphiphobic coatings with the anti-reflective property offer a promising strategy to mitigate the degradation of photovoltaic conversion efficiency in solar cells caused by fouling and reflection of incident light. Despite advancements in developing transparent and liquid-repellent coatings, achieving integration of both properties still poses a significant challenge. In this work, a unique nanostructure coating with extremely low roughness and surface energy is constructed by integrating fluorinated cluster core-shell structured silicon sols (BASSF) into a self-made silicon precursor (S P) using a template-free two-step base/acid-catalyzed reaction. The exceptional anti-fouling performance of the S-P@BASSF coating is a result of the chemical inertness of the polymer and the unique structure of the sol-gel particles. This innovative approach provides a potential solution for fabricating high-performance coatings and materials. The coating is capable of recovering to 97 % of its initial efficiency swiftly, even after severe dust contamination. The coating exhibits remarkable anti-reflective property due to the combination of sol particles with varying refractive indices . The coating also displays high weathering resistance, maintaining contact angles with water (≥105°) and diiodomethane (≥85°) even after prolonged exposure to UV lamps, high temperature and high humidity weather. The results obtained in this study show that nanocomposite coatings via the preparation of smooth, high refractive index and low reflectivity have great potential for outdoor applications such as energy harvesting and optical instruments under wet conditions.
研究领域:
材料科学
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能源技术
·
表面工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
·
2024
·
IF 5.1
Shun Ou,Jingxiao Ou,Junjie Liu,Yiqi Li,Bin Tang,Qiaocheng Peng,Dongfu He,Yudi Wang,Yanran Mao,Jianxin Chang,Fumin Du,Tiezheng Lv
The anti-reflection (AR) technology currently used in photovoltaic (PV) glass has reached its operational limit as the refractive index of existing materials cannot be lowered further. To overcome this, in this study, we selected formed methylsiloxane as an AR layer for PV glass. Its low refractive index (∼1.37) originates from the high content of methyl groups and the formation of voids during crosslinking. We acquired and compared the refractive index curves, conducted structural analyses, characterizations (optical, thermal, and surface), and performance evaluations to confirm the advantages of silicone as an AR layer for PV panels . The spreading and subsequent room-temperature self-curing characteristics of silicone considerably enhanced its applicability for upscaling and repair. The hydrophobic nature of the silicone AR layer imparted a new self-cleaning function to the solar panels; further, the methyl-silicone coating enhanced light transmission, resulting in electrical gain. Furthermore, the addition of the methyl-silicone layer created a refractive index gradient on the glass surface, making it fully compatible for use with the mainstream AR process, namely, the sol-gel method employed for PV glass.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER SCIENCE SERIES B
·
2024
·
IF 1
Lielun Zhao,Guo Yawen,Kang Tiantai,Jiang Yan,Zhang Haobin,Zhang Hongwen
Abstract Copolymers were synthesized from acrylate monomers and ladder-shaped polysilsesquioxanes (LPSQ) using free radical polymerization, and the copolymers were coated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films by the lift-off impregnation method. The nanosized SiO 2 sols with different particle sizes were prepared by sol-gel method, and then the nanosized SiO 2 sols were coated on the surface modified PET film to construct a moth-eye-like anti-reflection coating by using the layer-by-layer self-assembly method. The structure and composition of LPSQ and modified acrylic resin copolymer were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, and the transmittance/haze tester and UV spectrophotometer were used to test the performance of the anti-reflection coating, which could reach 94.0% compared with 89.2% of the matrix pure PET film. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal decomposition temperature of the LPSQ-modified copolymer material was higher than that of the pure acrylate copolymer.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
光学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 2.3
Fu Jie,Lu Mengfan,Wang Ziao,Hou Peiran,Lu Jianfeng,Xie Yi,Tian Shouqin,Zhao Xiujian
Conventional antireflective films for solar cells are usually porous for high transmittance, but still suffer from weak weatherability and poor hydrophobicity because water droplets can enter porous films easily and degrade the antireflection performance. In order to achieve a good balance between high transmittance and excellent hydrophobicity, superhydrophobic porous SiO 2 bilayer film with refractive index gradient was designed. Mesoporous SiO 2 film with high refractive index as inner layer was synthesized on the glass at first and then superhydrophobic porous SiO 2 film with low refractive index was prepared by a facile sol-gel method using hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) as modifier. As HMDS content increases, the hydrophobicity of the upper layer was significantly improved while the transmittance was slightly decreased because the -OH on the layer were gradually replaced by -CH 3 . When volume ratio of HMDS to Alkali (V HMDS/Alkali ) was 0.6, a large water contact angle (WCA) of 163.6° and high transmittance increase of 2.82% was obtained. When applying this film to the glass on the surface of perovskite solar cells, an obvious increase (0.78%) in photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) was obtained. Especially, the superhydrophobic SiO 2 bilayer film exhibited a higher transmittance increase of 3.19% in the broad wavelength range of 380–1100 nm and larger WCA of 161°. In addition, after a 24-h immersion in a water bath at 80 °C, the transmittance was only reduced by 0.26%, indicating a good weatherability. Therefore, this work can provide a more innovative, superior, and facile method to prepare promising antireflection coatings for solar cells. Graphical Abstract The alkali-catalyzed superhydrophobic SiO 2 bilayer films showed high transmittance increase of 3.19%, good hydrophobicity with a larger WCA of 161° and good weatherability with a small difference (0.26%) in the transmittance before and after process in a water bath.
研究领域:
材料科学
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能源技术
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纳米技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF POROUS MATERIALS
·
2017
·Vol. 25
·期 1
·55-62
·
IF 1.624
Ren Hongbo,Zhu Jiayi,Bi Yutie,Xu Yewei,Zhang Lin
Humidity-resistant antireflective (AR) porous films with ultralow refractive indices were prepared via an one-step sol–gel process by assembly of methylated hollow silica nanospheres (HSNs). The hydrophobicity and refractive indices of silica-based AR porous films could be varied between 66.0° and 115.0°, and between 1.08 and 1.14, respectively, by tuning the MTES/TEOS molar ratios. A possible assembly mechanism was proposed according to the microstructure of methylated HSNs and porous films. The various properties of silica-based AR porous films were investigated and the AR porous film could demonstrate a good AR capability of 97.6% and excellent humidity resistance.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
纳米技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
·
2021
·
IF 4.539
Xiaoyu Li,Yong Zheng,Xiangyu Xu,Chaogang Xue,Zishen Han,Huimin Yang,Xi Zhang
The single-layer antireflective coating (ARC) is fabricated by sol-gel method using mixed sol modified by methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) hydrolyzed sol. The surface morphologies and structure, optical properties and wetting behavior are affected by the amount of MTES hydrolyzed sol are investigated. Via dip coating the modified sol on glass substrates , environmental stability and mechanical properties are also examined. In the modification process, the ARC exhibits a hydrophobic surface with a highest water contact angle (WCA) of 126.53°. Sand adhered to coating could be easily washed away, confirming that the ARC exhibits prominent self-cleaning property. Moreover, the ARC appears excellent in environmental stability. After the 30-day damp test and self-cleaning test, the attenuation of solar-weighted transmittance ( Т sw ) is only 0.04% and 0.02%, respectively. Additionally, this ARC exhibits a total solar-weighted transmittance ( Т sw ) higher than 95.06% over a wavelength range of 380–1100 nm, significantly higher than those of bare glass substrates ( Т sw =91.5%). The ARC has highly promising applicability in the solar fields.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
光学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）