{"title":"Self-sustaining antifouling coating for underwater solar cells","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.porgcoat.2024.108754","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>If not protected, underwater solar cells are encrusted with biological organisms, such as algae and barnacles, which lower the electrical or operational efficiency and are expensive to remove. We engineered a self-sustaining antifouling coating using ultra-low concentrations of nano-sized, seawater-soluble pigments, specifically cuprous oxide (Cu<sub>2</sub>O) and zinc oxide (ZnO), combined with an organic booster biocide and a fast-polishing binder material. This coating maintained high levels of visible light transmission for three months in tropical seawater without requiring human intervention, such as mechanical cleaning. Field tests demonstrated the coating's effectiveness in preventing biofouling, while preserving transparency. We anticipate that these self-sustaining antifouling coatings can be applied to thin, transparent, and interchangeable substrates for continual replacement on solar-powered autonomous underwater vehicles or solar cell platforms, thereby ensuring long-term operational efficiency.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20834,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Organic Coatings","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300944024005460/pdfft?md5=a6de3b5432760ef43b0648fb80afe034&pid=1-s2.0-S0300944024005460-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Progress in Organic Coatings","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300944024005460","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, APPLIED","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
If not protected, underwater solar cells are encrusted with biological organisms, such as algae and barnacles, which lower the electrical or operational efficiency and are expensive to remove. We engineered a self-sustaining antifouling coating using ultra-low concentrations of nano-sized, seawater-soluble pigments, specifically cuprous oxide (Cu2O) and zinc oxide (ZnO), combined with an organic booster biocide and a fast-polishing binder material. This coating maintained high levels of visible light transmission for three months in tropical seawater without requiring human intervention, such as mechanical cleaning. Field tests demonstrated the coating's effectiveness in preventing biofouling, while preserving transparency. We anticipate that these self-sustaining antifouling coatings can be applied to thin, transparent, and interchangeable substrates for continual replacement on solar-powered autonomous underwater vehicles or solar cell platforms, thereby ensuring long-term operational efficiency.
期刊介绍:
The aim of this international journal is to analyse and publicise the progress and current state of knowledge in the field of organic coatings and related materials. The Editors and the Editorial Board members will solicit both review and research papers from academic and industrial scientists who are actively engaged in research and development or, in the case of review papers, have extensive experience in the subject to be reviewed. Unsolicited manuscripts will be accepted if they meet the journal''s requirements. The journal publishes papers dealing with such subjects as:
• Chemical, physical and technological properties of organic coatings and related materials
• Problems and methods of preparation, manufacture and application of these materials
• Performance, testing and analysis.