Tharmo-solar coatings

The research goal is to develop solar coatings that can harvest the solar energy and convert it into heat and electricity. We developed (in collaboration with Prof. D. Mandler) coatings which are already in use by Brightsource in a large thermo-solar power plant, producing electricity for over 100,000 homes in California. Our present focus is on formation of selective coatings which have high absorption in solar spectrum, low emission in IR region, and resistant to high temperature, by a wet chemical method . The coatings are composed of three layers; absorber layer, IR reflecting layer, and antireflecting as well as protecting layer. The absorber layer absorbs solar light, the IR reflecting layer inhibits the thermal radiation, and the antireflecting layer increases the absorption and protect both absorber layer and IR reflecting layer from high temperature.