Durability of Solar Reflective Materials with an Alumina Hard Coat Produced by Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition: Preprint

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

    Abstract

    A promising low-cost reflector material for solar concentrating power (CSP) generation is a silvered substrate protected by an alumina coating several microns thick. The alumina hard coat is deposited under high vacuum by ion-beam-assisted-deposition (IBAD). Samples of this material have been produced both by batch and continuous roll-coating processes. The substrate materials investigated werepolyethylene terephthalate (PET), PET laminated to stainless-steel foil, and chrome-plated carbon steel strip. The advantage of steel strip compared to PET is that it withstands a higher process temperature and lowers the final product installation costs. In this paper, we compare the durability of batch and roll-coated reflective materials with an alumina deposition rate as high as 10 nm/s. Ingeneral, the durability of the samples is found to be excellent. Comparisons between accelerated and outdoor exposure testing results indicate that these front-surface mirrors are more susceptible to weather conditions not simulated by accelerated tests (i.e., rain, sleet, snow, etc.) than other types of solar reflectors. For long-term durability, edge protection will be necessary, anddurability could be improved by the addition of an adhesion-promoting layer between the silver and alumina.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Number of pages12
    StatePublished - 2002
    Event2002 AIMCAL Fall Technical Conference, 16th International Vacuum Web Coating Conference - Sedona, Arizona
    Duration: 21 Oct 200223 Oct 2002

    Conference

    Conference2002 AIMCAL Fall Technical Conference, 16th International Vacuum Web Coating Conference
    CitySedona, Arizona
    Period21/10/0223/10/02

    Bibliographical note

    Prepared for the 2002 AIMCAL Fall Technical Conference, 16th International Vacuum Web Coating Conference, 21-23 October 2002, Sedona, Arizona

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/CP-520-32824

    Keywords

    • accelerated testing
    • alumina hard coat
    • cage protection
    • concentrating solar power (CSP)
    • durability
    • ion-beam-assisted deposition
    • low-cost
    • polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
    • PV
    • reflector material

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