Self-cleaning protective coatings for use with photovoltaic cells

Abstract

Systems and materials to improve photovoltaic cell efficiency by implementing a self-cleaning function on photovoltaic cells and on albedo surfaces associated with photovoltaic cell assemblies are provided. Materials for protecting albedo surfaces that surround photovoltaic cell assemblies, thereby maximizing energy input into the photovoltaic cell assemblies, are provided. Materials for self-cleaning photovoltaic cell panels, thereby maintaining their efficiency, are provided. Portable albedo collecting devices associated with photovoltaic cell assemblies are provided.

1 . A photovoltaic cell system, comprising:
 a photovoltaic cell assembly, wherein the photovoltaic cell assembly comprises a front side, wherein said front side is configured to receive electromagnetic energy, and wherein said photovoltaic assembly is configured to convert electromagnetic energy into an electrical current; and   an albedo surface configured to reflect electromagnetic energy on said photovoltaic cell assembly, wherein said albedo surface comprises:   a high albedo layer; and   a self-cleaning layer directly disposed on said high albedo layer.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a photocatalytic material. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises Ti-hydroxyapetite. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises anatase TiO 2 , brookitein TiO 2  or rutile TiO 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises between 1 percent TiO 2  and 90 percent TiO 2  by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises ZnO, SnO 2 , SrTiO 3 , WO 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , or Fe 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer is formed from perotitanium solution or perox-modified anatase sol. 
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a plurality of nano-particles. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of nano-particles comprises SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2  or SnO 2 , or silica. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises TEFLON®. 
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene or polychlorotrifluoroethylene. 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises (100-X)CaF 2 —(X)TiO 2 , wherein X is the molar percentage of TiO 2  and X is between 1 percent and 50 percent. 
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a composite of CaF 2  and TiO 2 . 
     
     
         14 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a photocatalytic oxide and a resin. 
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 14 , wherein the resin comprises a silicone resin or a fluororesin. 
     
     
         16 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 14 , wherein the resin comprises ethyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, methyltrichlorosilane, methyltribromosilane, methyltriisopropoxysilane, methyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrichlorosilane, ethyltribromosilane, ethyltriisopropoxysilane, ethyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-propyltrimethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane, n-propyltrichlorosilane, n-propyltribromosilane, n-propyltriisopropoxysilane, n-propyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-hexyltrimethoxysilane, n-hexyltriethoxysilane, n-hexytrichlorosilane, n-hexyltribromosilane, n-hexyltriisopropoxysilane, n-hexyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-decyltrimethoxysilane, n-decyltriethoxysilane, n-decyltrichlorosilane, n-decyltribromosilane, n-decyltriisopropoxysilane, n-decyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-octatrimethoxysilane, n-octatriethoxysilane, n-octatrichlorosilane, n-octatribromosilane, n-octatriisopropoxysilane, n-octa-tri-t-butoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrichlorosilane, phenyltribromosilane, phenyltriisopropoxysilane, phenyl-t-butoxysilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, dimethyldibromosilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, diphenyldichlorosilane, diphenyldibromosilane, diphenyldimethoxysilane, diphenyldiethoxysilane, phenylmethyldichlorosilane, phenylmethyldibromosilane, phenylmethyldimethoxysilane, phenylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltribromosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriisopropoxysilane, vinyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane, trifluoropropyltribromosilane, trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriisopropoxysilane, trifluoropropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-aminopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, β-(3,4-poxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 14 , wherein the resin comprises a fluororesin and wherein the fluororesin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene/chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, perfluorocyclo polymer, vinyl ether/fluoroolefin copolymer, vinyl ester/fluoroolefin copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, chlorotrifluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, urethane-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, epoxy-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, acryl-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, melamine-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, or any combination thereof 
     
     
         18 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein said high albedo layer is self-cleaning. 
     
     
         19 . A photovoltaic cell system, comprising:
 a photovoltaic cell assembly, wherein the photovoltaic cell assembly comprises:
 a base; 
 a solar cell panel attached to said base; and 
 a self-cleaning albedo device, attached to said base, wherein said self-cleaning albedo device comprises a flexible substrate, a high albedo layer, and a self-cleaning layer, and wherein said high albedo layer is disposed on said flexible substrate and said self-cleaning layer is disposed directly on said high albedo layer. 
   
     
     
         20 . The photovoltaic system of  claim 19 , further comprising a retractable roller mounted on the base of said photovoltaic cell assembly, said retractable roller configured to retract said self-cleaning albedo device into a roll. 
     
     
         21 . The photovoltaic system of  claim 19 , wherein said self-cleaning albedo device has an open configuration and a closed configuration; wherein
 said self-cleaning albedo device is rolled up in said retractable roller when said self-cleaning albedo device is in said closed position; and   said self-cleaning albedo device is extended in a downward gradient away from said base when said self-cleaning albedo device is in said open position.   
     
     
         22 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein said self-cleaning layer comprises a photocatalytic material. 
     
     
         23 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein said self-cleaning layer comprises anatase TiO 2 , rutile TiO 2 , brookitein TiO 2  or MYLAR®. 
     
     
         24 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein said self-cleaning layer comprises between 1 percent TiO 2  and 90 percent TiO 2  by weight. 
     
     
         25 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein said self-cleaning layer comprises ZnO, SnO 2 , SrTiO 3 , WO 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , or Fe 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         26 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the self-cleaning layer is formed from perotitanium solution or perox-modified anatase sol. 
     
     
         27 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a plurality of nano-particles. 
     
     
         28 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of nano-particles comprises SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2  or SnO 2 , or silica. 
     
     
         29 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the albedo self-cleaning layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene or polychlorotrifluoroethylene. 
     
     
         30 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises (100-X)CaF 2 —(X)TiO 2 , wherein X is the molar percentage of TiO 2  and X is between 1 percent and 50 percent. 
     
     
         31 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a composite of CaF 2  and TiO 2 . 
     
     
         32 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the self-cleaning layer comprises a photocatalytic oxide and a resin. 
     
     
         33 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 32 , wherein the resin comprises a silicone resin or a fluororesin. 
     
     
         34 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 32 , wherein the resin comprises ethyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, methyltrichlorosilane, methyltribromosilane, methyltriisopropoxysilane, methyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, ethyltrimethoxysilane, ethyltriethoxysilane, ethyltrichlorosilane, ethyltribromosilane, ethyltriisopropoxysilane, ethyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-propyltrimethoxysilane, n-propyltriethoxysilane, n-propyltrichlorosilane, n-propyltribromosilane, n-propyltriisopropoxysilane, n-propyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-hexyltrimethoxysilane, n-hexyltriethoxysilane, n-hexytrichlorosilane, n-hexyltribromosilane, n-hexyltriisopropoxysilane, n-hexyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-decyltrimethoxysilane, n-decyltriethoxysilane, n-decyltrichlorosilane, n-decyltribromosilane, n-decyltriisopropoxysilane, n-decyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, n-octatrimethoxysilane, n-octatriethoxysilane, n-octatrichlorosilane, n-octatribromosilane, n-octatriisopropoxysilane, n-octa-tri-t-butoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrichlorosilane, phenyltribromosilane, phenyltriisopropoxysilane, phenyl-t-butoxysilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, dimethyldibromosilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, diphenyldichlorosilane, diphenyldibromosilane, diphenyldimethoxysilane, diphenyldiethoxysilane, phenylmethyldichlorosilane, phenylmethyldibromosilane, phenylmethyldimethoxysilane, phenylmethyldiethoxysilane, vinyltrichlorosilane, vinyltribromosilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriisopropoxysilane, vinyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, trifluoropropyltrichlorosilane, trifluoropropyltribromosilane, trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriethoxysilane, trifluoropropyltriisopropoxysilane, trifluoropropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-aminopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyltriisopropoxysilane, γ-mercaptopropyl-tri-t-butoxysilane, β-(3,4-poxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 32 , wherein the resin comprises a fluororesin and wherein the fluororesin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, ethylene/chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, perfluorocyclo polymer, vinyl ether/fluoroolefin copolymer, vinyl ester/fluoroolefin copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, chlorotrifluoroethylene/vinyl ether copolymer, urethane-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, epoxy-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, acryl-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, melamine-crosslinked tetrafluoroethylene, or any combination thereof 
     
     
         36 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein a photovoltaic cell assembly in said plurality of photovoltaic cell assemblies comprises a back side that is configured to receive electromagnetic energy. 
     
     
         58 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 19 , wherein the solar cell panel of a photovoltaic cell assembly in said plurality of photovoltaic cell assemblies is mono-facial or bi-facial. 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . The photovoltaic cell system of  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic cell assembly is mono-facial or bi-facial.