PFAS-Free Silica Coating Boosts Solar Cell Efficiency by 4.75 Percent

An international team of researchers has developed a transparent bilayer coating with superhydrophobic properties, designed to protect solar panels from fouling. The process, based on sol-gel chemistry and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles, improves solar cell efficiency by 4.75 percent, according to results published in Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. Unlike many commercial solutions, this coating contains no perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), these persistent chemical compounds in the environment. "The dual layer repels water, dust and dirt without reducing the amount of light reaching the photovoltaic cells," said Shanhu Liu, corresponding author of the study.