Abstract
Mud formed from environmental dust particles in humid ambient air significantly influences the performance of solar harvesting devices. This study examines the characterization of environmental dust particles and the chemo-mechanics of dry mud formed from dust particles. Analytical tools, including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, particle sizing, and X-ray diffraction, are used to characterize dry mud and dust particles. A micro/nano tribometer is used to measure the tangential force and friction coefficient while tensile tests are carried out to assess the binding forces of dry mud pellets. After dry mud is removed, mud residuals on the glass surface are examined and the optical transmittance of the glass is measured. Dust particles include alkaline compounds, which dissolve in water condensate and form a mud solution with high pH (pH = 7.5). The mud solution forms a thin liquid film at the interface of dust particles and surface. Crystals form as the mud solution dries, thus, increasing the adhesion work required to remove dry mud from the surface. Optical transmittance of the glass is reduced after dry mud is removed due to the dry mud residue on the surface.
Highlights
Recent changes in climate have resulted in severe and frequent dust storms around the globe, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region
Because dust particles contain alkaline and alkaline earth metal compounds, they dissolve in water and form a mud solution, which flows in between the dust particles as a result of gravity and sediment at the solid surfaces
The present study examined the chemo-mechanical characteristics of the dry mud formed from environmental dust particles are examined in relation to dry mud adhesion to glass surfaces
Summary
The characteristics of the environmental dust and mud formed from the dust particles were examined. The dry mud cross-section consists of porous-like structures, including some small cavities across the cross-section (Fig. 7b) because of the wide range of dust particle sizes (0.001–20 μm) This arrangement enables the liquid mud solution to flow in between these structures. The residue of the dry mud was related to the dry mud solution in between dust particles and the glass surface, which increased the adhesion at the interface. Close examination of the SEM micrograph (Fig. 8) reveals that some crystallized structures were formed on the surface; in this case, dissolved alkaline and earth alkaline metals are responsible for the crystalline morphology on the dry mud that was removed from the Figure 6.
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