Optimizing the Superhydrophobicity of the Composite PDMS/PUA Film Produced by a R2R System

Abstract

Maintaining the surface of solar cell panels free from contaminants to ensure their efficiency is a time-consuming and tedious task. Therefore, several methods of fabricating artificial transparent superhydrophobic surfaces have been reported to overcome that problem. However, most of the proposed fabrication methods are unscalable due to their complexity. Herein, a facile and cost-effective roll-to-roll system to fabricate a highly flexible and optically transparent polydimethylsiloxane/polyurethane acrylate superhydrophobic (FTPPS) film was proposed. The superhydrophobicity of the film was achieved by the combination of the surface roughness�the ultraviolet curable polyurethane acrylate (PUA) microstructures and the low surface energy material coating�the thin polydimethylsiloxane layer coated on PUA structures using capillary force. The superhydrophobicity of the FTPPS film was carefully optimized using various designs of PUA micro-post and the material properties of the film were examined systematically by different characterization techniques. The highest measured static water contact angle (WCA) of the FTPPS film is 153.3°± 1.8 and its lowest water sliding angle is ∼9.5°± 0.2. Moreover, the film still exhibited high WCAs of more than 142°even after being impacted multiple times by an adhesive probe or sand grains. This result demonstrates the high mechanical durability and flexibility of the as-fabricated superhydrophobic film. Finally, the potential application of the film as a protective cover for solar cells was also illustrated through the consistent photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the solar cell module covered by the film compared to that of the uncovered solar panel.

Analyze the shaping characteristics of micro-cylindrical-post in manufacturing process of a superhydrophobicity film

“…For some applications which we meet usual on daily (such as: windshields of vehicles, solar-cell panels, door glasses…), the synthesizing approaches by coating the material with low surface energy on a micro/ nanostructures surface can be used much more than the others [6]. One of common materials for superhydrophoic film using for solar panels or windshields which required properties of transparent and flexible is PDMS/PUA material [7]. The PDMS layer having high hydrophobic capacity but hard to make a thin form is coated to microstructure of a thin PUA layer [8], [9].…”

“…Obviously, waterborne PUA can be especially applied to industrial painting process;whereas UV-curable PUA is major spreadly used due to its advantages (low environmental impact and energy consumption [15]. The UV-Curable PUA is usually used as mold or base for the others attached on [7], [9]. In general, the PUA mold material comprises Urethane for a functionalized prepolymer, photonitiator and UV-curable releasing agent to modify the surface energy.…”

Synthesis and Characterization of Silicon-Modified Polyurethane Acrylate for UV-Thermal Dual Curing in Three Dimensional Printing

“…PUA is commonly used in 3D printing materials. , The production of PUA involves reacting diol oligomers with diisocyanate to create capped isocyanate groups (Figure S1). Polyurethane prepolymer (PPU) is then formed by adding acrylate groups . Currently, PUA is used as a single UV-curing material that is molded after the polyurethane prepolymer is formulated into a photosensitive composition.…”

“…Polyurethane prepolymer (PPU) is then formed by adding acrylate groups. 12 Currently, PUA is used as a single UV-curing material that is molded after the polyurethane prepolymer is formulated into a photosensitive composition. However, UV-curing a single material can lead to poor mechanical properties due to the rapid curing speed, low molecular weight of the polymer, and nonuniform molecular size.…”