Zinc Oxide Nanostructure coating on glass substrate for solar still optimization by structural, optical and surface analysis
Keywords:
ZnO, Solar Still, ZnO/glassAbstract
The solar still is a compelling technology for water desalination, especially in dry regions where a lack of freshwater is a significant challenge. Nevertheless, heat loss and poor absorption of solar radiation by the glass cover limit the efficiency of traditional solar stills. Considering the performance of solar stills, coating glass substrates with nanostructures with varying properties can also improve performance by enhancing light absorption and reducing reflection. ZnO with good transparency in the visible range and superior photocatalytic properties was deposited on glass substrates through the sol-gel spin coating method and annealed to produce crystalline ZnO films at 600 °C. ZnO-coated glass was characterized further using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis Spectroscopy to reveal some of its structural, optical, and surface properties. The investigation revealed a distinct reduction in reflection (20-25%→5-10%) and improved light transmission over a broad energy spectrum region, especially in the UV region while maintaining transparency throughout the visible and infrared spectra. The structure was observed to be hexagonal wurtzite with crystallite size in the range of 14.03 nm to 21.53 nm, which resulted in better conductivity and photocatalytic properties. These characteristics make ZnO-coated glass a favourable alternative for the performance enhancement of solar stills by accelerating the evaporation rate and improving water purification performance. The findings of this study suggest that ZnO coatings have the potential to mitigate the challenges posed by conventional solar stills and present a cost-effective, large-scale approach to improve solar desalination technologies.
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