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Dual-Sublattice Entropy via Cation-Anion Co-Doping Enables Broadband Solar Absorption and Efficient Photothermal
Zhuo-Hao Zhou1, Qi-Sen Wang1, Meng Dong2
1Key Laboratory of Energy Conservation and Energy Storage Materials of Gansu Province, Research Center for Resource Chemistry and Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
A novel bilayer solar selective absorber coating (SSAC) using high-entropy boride (HEB) with dual doping enhances solar energy utilization. This advanced coating achieves high solar absorptance and low thermal emittance for efficient photothermal conversion.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Renewable Energy Engineering
Background:
- Photothermal conversion requires materials with high solar spectrum absorption and low mid-infrared emissivity.
- Developing efficient solar selective absorber coatings (SSAC) is crucial for solar energy applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize a simple bilayer SSAC based on high-entropy boride (HEB) with dual cation-anion site doping.
- To investigate the effect of nitrogen incorporation on the HEB lattice for improved optical properties.
- To evaluate the photothermal conversion efficiency and thermal stability of the developed coating.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a bilayer SSAC comprising a nitrogen-doped HEB layer and a Si3N4 antireflection layer.
- Characterization of optical properties, including solar absorptance and thermal emittance.
- Assessment of photothermal conversion efficiency under concentrated solar irradiation (100 suns) and 1 sun.
- Evaluation of thermal stability up to 500°C and outdoor performance testing.
Main Results:
- The bilayer SSAC achieved a high solar absorptance of 93.6% and an ultralow thermal emittance of 11.3% at 82°C.
- Nitrogen incorporation tailored the bandgap structure, enhancing absorption bandwidth.
- The coating demonstrated excellent thermal stability up to 500°C and a photothermal conversion efficiency of 89.7% under 100 suns.
- Outdoor tests showed a surface temperature rise of over 60°C in winter, significantly outperforming non-selective absorbers.
Conclusions:
- Synergistic cation-anion co-doping in HEB is an effective strategy for enhancing solar absorptance.
- The facile bilayer design offers practical advantages for scalable fabrication and deployment in solar-thermal applications.
- The developed SSAC shows great potential for efficient solar energy utilization in various applications.
