ZnO Nanorods Grown on PLA-CF Mesh as Nanostructure Capacitance-Based Dust Sensor

Dust accumulation on solar panel surfaces is a significant challenge that hinders optimal utilization of the incident light, resulting in poor efficiency. Current solutions involve periodic panel cleaning, which is ineffective, as dust accumulation is driven by asynchronous and unpredictable environmental factors. Dust sensors are usually placed in solar panel installations and are used to monitor dust levels and determine the need for cleaning. However, these sensors are generally bulky, power-hungry, and nonintegrable, reducing the solar panel’s overall efficiency. In this article, a novel capacitance-based dust sensor is proposed that utilizes nanostructures grown on a plastic mesh to detect dust accumulation on solar panels. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are grown on a 3-D-printed mesh as a sensing layer using dc sputtering and hydrothermal approaches. The quality of the nanorods is confirmed using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization techniques. The sensors show strong repeatability and reproducibility with a capacitance ranging from 0.84 to 1.55 pF, depending on the amount of dust at a frequency of 1 kHz. The average sensitivities of the sensors are 37.8%, 50.5%, and 63.5% at dust deposition levels of 50, 75, and 100 mg, respectively. To form an end-to-end system, the sensors are connected to a circuit to read the capacitance difference, converting it into a dc voltage level that indicates the dust accumulation level on solar panels. The measured dc voltage increases from 0.849 V at a deposition level of 0 mg to 5.44 V at a deposition level of 100 mg. The proposed dust sensor achieves promising results, making it an excellent candidate to monitor dust accumulation on solar panels and enable timely cleaning and maintenance.