Robust and transparent dust removal coating applied to polyimide-based photovoltaic modules for lunar rovers

Abstract

Dust removal coatings for polyimide (PI)-based photovoltaic modules used in lunar rovers were fabricated successfully through the blade-coating method using silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles and γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550). The dust removal performance, morphology, transparency, and adhesive force of the coating can be optimized by adjusting the pH and the mass ratios of SiO2 and KH550. The designed coating demonstrates excellent dust removal performance, achieving an percentage of over 85 %. Moreover, the coating has minimal impact on the transparency of the PI substrate and exhibits strong adhesion to it. Additionally, the coating shows remarkable resistance to both high and low temperatures. Even after undergoing five cycles of thermal treatment ranging from −196 to 160 °C, there were no significant changes in the morphology or dust removal performance of the coating. Therefore, this coating exhibits tremendous potential for application in the dust removal of photovoltaic modules in lunar rovers.