Machines. Technologies. Materials.
Vol. 19 (2025), Issue 6, pg(s) 225-228

TECHNOLOGIES

Study of the influence of transition and rare earth oxide coatings on glasses for photovoltaic panels produced by the sol-gel method. A Review

  • 1 1Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Metal Science, Equipment and Technologies with Hydro- and Aerodynamics Centre “Acad. Angel Balevski”, Bulgaria

Abstract

The efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems is significantly influenced by surface contamination, which can reduce light transmission and energy conversion performance. In this study, self-cleaning nanostructured coatings based on titanium dioxide (TiO₂ ), zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂ ), and their doped and composite variants (with Y₂ O₃ and Eu₂ O₃ ) were synthesized using the sol-gel method and applied to photovoltaic glass substrates. The coatings were characterized in terms of their optical transmittance, surface morphology (AFM), wettability (contact angle), and crystallographic properties (XRD). Results indicate that TiO₂ coatings offer superior superhydrophilic behavior, while stabilized ZrO₂ -based composites show excellent transparency, surface homogeneity, and long-term durability. Eu₂ O₃ -doped coatings exhibit additional luminescent functionalities, potentially useful for photonic enhancement. These findings highlight the potential of sol-gel coatings in improving PV panel performance via integrated passive cleaning mechanisms and multifunctional surface engineering.

Keywords

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