Enhanced Thermal Stability on Multi-Metal Filled Cermet Based Spectrally Selective Solar Absorbers

Abstract

A spectrally selective solar absorber is described and comprises a substrate, double cermet layers comprising multi-metal nanoparticles embedded in a dielectrics matrix, and double antireflection layers deposited on cermet layers. The tungsten or titanium or tantalum infrared reflector layer suppressing the diffusion of substrate elements and multi-metal nanoparticles in the cermet are disclosed.

1 . A method of fabricating a solar absorber, comprising:
 disposing a first layer in contact with a substrate;   disposing a second layer in contact with the first layer;   disposing a third layer in contact with the second layer;   disposing a fourth layer in contact with the third layer; and   disposing a fifth layer in contact with the fourth layer, wherein disposing the fifth layer forms a solar absorber comprising an absorbance within a first predetermined range and an emittance within a second predetermined range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of stainless steel, tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), quartz, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises at least one of tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), and combinations thereof, and wherein a thickness of the first layer is from about 10 nm to about 300 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises Tungsten (W), Tantalum (Ta), Titanium (Ti), Molybdenum (Mo), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr), or combinations thereof and wherein the thickness of the first layer is from about 100 nm to about 200 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer and the third layer each comprise at least one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Tungsten (W), Tantalum (Ta), Titanium (Ti), Molybdenum (Mo), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr), and Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third layer has a lower metal volume fraction than the second layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fourth layer comprises at least one of Al 2 O 3 , MgO, TiO 2 , V 2 O 3 , ZrO, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fifth layer comprises SiO 2 . 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing the second layer on the first layer bonds the second layer to the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . A solar absorber comprising:
 a reflector layer disposed in contact with a substrate;   a first cermet layer disposed in contact with the reflector layer;   a second cermet layer disposed in contact with the first cermet layer;   and at least two anti-reflective coating (ARC) layers, wherein at least one ARC layer is disposed in contact with the second cermet layer.   
     
     
         11 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of stainless steel, tantalum, titanium, copper, aluminum, silicon, quartz, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the reflector layer comprises at least one of tungsten (W), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), and combinations thereof, and wherein a thickness of the reflector layer is from about 10 nm to about 300 nm. 
     
     
         13 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the first cermet layer and the second cermet layer each comprise at least one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Tungsten (W), Tantalum (Ta), Titanium (Ti), Molybdenum (Mo), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr), and Al 2 O 3 , and wherein the second cermet layer has a lower metal volume fraction than the first cermet layer. 
     
     
         14 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the first layer of the at least two ARC layers comprises at least one of Al 2 O 3 , MgO, TiO 2 , V 2 O 3 , ZrO, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the second layer of the at least two ARC layers comprises SiO 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the reflector layer is a bonding layer between the substrate and the first cermet layer. 
     
     
         17 . The solar absorber of  claim 10 , wherein the reflector layer comprises a plurality of separately deposited reflector layers. 
     
     
         18 . A solar absorber comprising:
 a reflector layer disposed in contact with a substrate;   a first cermet layer disposed in contact with the reflector layer, wherein the reflector layer comprises at least one of tungsten (W) or nickel (Ni).   
     
     
         19 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , further comprising a second cermet layer disposed in contact with the first cermet layer and at least two anti-reflection (ARC) layers, wherein at least one ARC layer is disposed in contact with the second cermet layer. 
     
     
         20 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of stainless steel, tantalum, titanium, copper, aluminum, silicon, quartz, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein a thickness of the first cermet layer is from about 10 nm to about 300 nm. 
     
     
         22 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein the first cermet layer and the second cermet layer each comprise at least one of Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Tungsten (W), Tantalum (Ta), Titanium (Ti), Molybdenum (Mo), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V), Niobium (Nb), Zirconium (Zr), and Al 2 O 3 , wherein the second cermet layer comprises a lower metal volume fraction than the second layer. 
     
     
         23 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein the first layer of the at least two ARC layers comprises at least one of Al 2 O 3 , MgO, TiO 2 , V 2 O 3 , ZrO, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein the second layer of the at least two ARC layers comprises SiO 2 . 
     
     
         25 . The solar absorber of  claim 17 , wherein the reflector layer bonds the substrate and the first cermet layer.