Preparation of Antireflective Silica Coating by the Sol-Gel Method for Heliothermic Power Plants

Abstract

This work deals with the deposition of a thin layer of porous silica antireflective coating onto glass substrates. The films were deposited with different withdrawal speeds and heat-treated at 425°C for 30 minutes. The effects of heat treatment and film deposition rate on the films reflectance were evaluated. The diffuse reflectance was measured using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural evaluation of the films. The water contact angle upon the films surface was evaluated using a tensiometer and was based on the sessile drop technique. The mechanical characteristics of the films were evaluated by tape test and pencil hardness. The obtained sol-gel silica coatings were homogeneous and free of cracks. UV-Vis analysis of the glass substrate revealed a reflectance value of 3.86%, whereas the lowest reflectance value obtained for antireflective coatings was 2.72%. The contact angle measurement showed that, for all films, there was wetting of the film by water, characterizing them as hydrophilic. The adhesion of the films were 4B and the pencil hardness were 3H.