Last month was full of exciting developments and valuable research collaborations in the fields of thin films and surface chemistry. Our ERA talent Kamalan Mosas recaps the key milestones!
Development of Multifunctional Coatings for Photovoltaic Applications – New Collaboration with Loughborough University, UK
As part of the CLiCAM project, we are developing functional coatings for various applications, including photovoltaic modules. These coatings are designed to enhance optical transmission, mechanical resistance, thermal management, and the long-term durability of the cover glass used in solar panels. To address challenges such as light reflection losses and UV-induced degradation of encapsulant polymers, we have developed multifunctional coatings based on double-layer structures. These layers are deposited using low-temperature PECVD combined with magnetron sputtering, enabling high visible light transmission along with excellent UV and IR blocking properties.
In this context, a new collaboration has been initiated with Prof. Michael Walls from Loughborough University, United Kingdom. On April 17th, a virtual meeting was held to discuss potential collaborative research, particularly focusing on complementary characterization techniques. A major point of discussion was the implementation of advanced electrical measurements on solar cells covered with our coated glasses, which could be performed in Prof. Walls’ laboratory. The meeting also included Dr. Omar Benzine, project manager at Interpane (Germany), CLiCAM’s industrial partner, and explored the prospects of future collaboration among the three parties.
Correlating Chemical Structure and Mechanical Properties of Plasma Coatings
A key objective of our research is to elucidate the relationship between the chemical structure of hydrophobic TMDSO-based coatings and their mechanical performance and durability. The meeting held on April 30th offered a valuable opportunity to review the initial XPS results concerning the surface chemistry of PECVD-deposited hydrophobic layers on textile fabrics. These findings were presented by Kamalan Mosas to the R&D teams from Interpane (Germany) and AGC (Belgium). This second meeting laid the groundwork for a revised work plan based on the preliminary results. Consequently, new samples have been prepared and are scheduled for further analysis in the next phase of the study. The ultimate goal is to optimize coating performance by fine-tuning its chemical structure.
