Carbon Nanotubes Effectiveness Incorporated in the Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Matrix to Make a Nano Coating As a Selective Surfaces that Enhance Solar Energy Absorption

Abstract

New spectrally selective surface films of the nano coatings to achieve high absorption performance. The poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) dissolved in chloroform with various concentrations of carbon nanotube (CNT) (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 wt. %) via casting technique. Nanocomposite films have been developed to create an economical coating that reinforces the PMMA matrix. The coating exhibits high absorptivity for light absorption ranging between 88.4% and 89.6%, the computation conducted under the wavelength range of 250-1350 nm at 29 oC. The transmittance and reflectance decreased, skin depth and optical density increased, absorbance coefficient and dielectric constant increased. The films'' energy gap (E_g) decreased from 4.7 to 2.3 after adding CNT. The Urbach energy (E_u) increased from 2.914 to 32.310 eV. The XRD confirms that the films were semi-crystalline structures. The SEM analysis was used to show the surface morphology of the thin films, and the EDS analysis to emphasize the elements of the CNT. The matrix of PMMA underwent modifications of additive CNT nanoparticles through the diffusion inside the matrix, this proves that the CNT drove a change in the PMMA matrix toward the high absorption. The synthesized coating is intended for a flat plate collector to trap solar energy.