Development of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-Based Hydrophobic Coating for Self-clean Solar Panels

The effectiveness of commercial solar panels is directly correlated with the amount of light absorbed. The purpose of this study was to create a spray-coated self-cleaning coating utilizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for glass surfaces. The coated substrates were thoroughly analyzed using several techniques, such as contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmittance measurements. The AFM analysis substantiated the presence of flake-like particles, contributing to a surface roughness of 0.052 µm (root-mean-square roughness, R_q = 0.069 µm). The findings demonstrated that the concentration of PDMS solutions had a direct impact on the hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties of the coated surfaces. As the concentration of PDMS varied from 0 to 1.5%, there was a corresponding increase in the contact angle from 74.8° to 135.58°. Throughout this concentration range, the transmittance exhibited consistent behavior. The coating underwent rigorous UV exposure and peel tests, affirming its excellent stability and durability on glass substrates. The peel test indicated a slight decrease in the contact angle from 133 to 131°.