Fabrication of superhydrophobic transparent coatings prepared by spraying dual-sized silica particles

Abstract Photovoltaic modules exposed to severe wind and sand conditions over extended periods often accumulate dust, significantly impacting their power generation efficiency. Superhydrophobic self-cleaning coatings present a promising solution to mitigate this issue. In this study, a SiO2/PU coating was applied to glass substrates using a combined sol-gel spraying technique. The sol system comprised a mixture of SiO2 particles with diameters of 20 nm and 200 nm, enabling the construction of a micro-nano structure that enhances surface hydrophobicity. The SiO2/PU coatings prepared with mixed particle sizes demonstrated significant improvements in contact angle, rolling angle, self-cleaning, and antifouling properties compared to those made with a single particle size, achieving a water contact angle of 164.52°. Furthermore, the prepared SiO2/PU coatings possess excellent stability and transmittance. It is anticipated that this superhydrophobic SiO2/PU coating will be a candidate for anti- dust applications in photovoltaic modules.