Nanocoatings: The Solution to All of Our Environmental Protection Problems?

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Lucas Sanders
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1 Nancatings: The Slutin t All f Our Envirnmental Prtectin Prblems? 2015 NREL Phtvltaic Mdule Reliability Wrkshp February 25, 2015 Presented by Greg Caswell DfR Slutins

2 Intrductin Applying cnfrmal cating r ptting t prvide envirnmental prtectin t electrnics in utdr applicatins is a very well-knwn and heavily used technique. This is especially true in slar and ther green applicatins due t the severe envirnment (desert and trpical climates) and lng-life expectatins (25 years). A new class f nan-thin catings that prvide superhydrphbic capabilities have entered the marketplace with great fanfare. Superhydrphbicity is defined as having a wetting angle greater than 90 degrees and sme materials have measured wetting angles exceeding 150 degrees.

3 What s Wrng With Current Materials? Current cnfrmal catings all have their prs and cns Drives users t ptting materials t cmpensate

4 Sme Issues Cating getting under cmpnents causing lifting Catings are NOT hermetic misture will diffuse thrugh Sulfur penetratin f Silicne resulting in crrsin

Super Hydrphbicity Definitin: Wetting angle far greater than the 90 degrees typically defined as hydrphbic Can create barriers far mre resistant t humidity and

5 Super Hydrphbicity Definitin: Wetting angle far greater than the 90 degrees typically defined as hydrphbic Can create barriers far mre resistant t humidity and cndensatin than standard cnfrmal catings Hw t get there? Depsit materials with existing high surface tensin (e.g., Tefln) Replicate the surface f the Ltus Leaf

6 Nandepsitin f High Surface Tensin Materials Several cmpanies currently fcused n the electrnics market The key technlgy fr each cmpany is the prcess, nt necessarily the materials

7 Nancating Cmpanies GVD: Funded in Spinff frm MIT Key technlgy is initiated chemical vapr depsitin (icvd) and PTFE and Silicne Prtn Plasma Innvatins (P2I): Funded in Spin ff frm UK MOD Labratry and Durham University Key technlgy is pulsed plasma and halgenated plymer catings (specifically, flurcarbn) Semblant: Funded in Spin ff frm Ipex Capital Key technlgy is plasma depsitin and halgenated hydrcarbn Barrian (Dry Surface) Key technlgy is the integratin f nanparticles int existing cnfrmal cating material t achieve superhydrphbicity ACT Nan Inc. -Key Technlgy is Advanced nanguard (ANG) that they say can be applied by dipping and is permanent because it is abrasin prf.

8 Prcess Technlgy Hydrphbicity tends t be driven by number and length f the flurcarbn grups and the cncentratin f these grups n the surface The key pints t each technlgy are: Sme are chemical vapr depsitin (CVD) prcesses, with lw vacuum requirements, Rm Temperature Depsitin Prcess Variety f Ptential Cating Materials (with primary fcus n flurcarbns) Sme incrprate nan-particles int a cnventinal cnfrmal cating

9 Semblant Prcess

10 Benefits (especially cmpared t Parylene) These are truly nancatings Minimum Parylene thickness tends t be abve ne micrn (necessary t be pinhle free) These catings can be pinhle free at 100 nm r lwer Nancating allws fr Optical Transparency RF Transparency Rewrkability Eliminatin f masking

11 N Masking LLCR Measurements Current (A) 0.01 V cmp (V) 0.1 Cnnectr Male 34way Pin Header Au ver nickel cntact (TE Cnnectivity ) Cnnectr Female 34way Scket Header Au ver nickel cntact (TE Cnnectivity ) Curtesy f Semblant

12 Risks Vltage Breakdwn Levels tend t be lwer cmpared t existing catings (acrylic, urethane, silicne) Can be an issue in terms f MIL and IPC specificatins Optically Transparent Cst Inspectin is challenging Likely mre expensive than cmmn wet catings Hwever, majr cell phne manufacturer claims significant ROI based n drp in warranty csts Thrughput Batch prcess. Cating times tend t be 10 t 30 minutes, depending upn desired thickness Hwever, being used in high vlume manufacturing

13 Atmic Layer Depsitin (ALD)

14 ALD Cntinued

15 Risks The prcess can be very slw (100nm thickness can take ver an hur) Nt rewrkable There have been challenges in regards t cmpatibility f ALD with existing electrnic materials and manufacturing prcess Clean surfaces with similar cefficient f thermal expansin (CTE) wrk best De-adhesin and cracking smetimes bserved when applied t metals, plymers, and surfaces with flux residue (requires sme tailring)

16 Barrian Dry Surface Water drplets remain perched n the peaks in well-frmed beads that can t adhere t the surface. Barrian duplicates this amazing waterprfing actin by creating a micrstructure f silica glass peaks. This precise surface gemetry, cmbined with advanced lw-surfaceenergy chemistry, results in ptimal water beading that accelerates the flw f water ver the surface, rendering the surface and the structure belw it virtually unwettable

17 Barrian Their prcess uses current cnventinal cnfrmal cating materials like acrylic and integrates their prprietary nan particle frmulatin int the cating

18 ACT Nan ACT states that their material can take many frms and be applied mre than nce. Their fcus seems t be n repelling water. N Masking f cnductive Parts Can be integrated int Prductin lines

19 THANKS Greg Caswell DfR Slutins

Best Practices in Selecting Coatings and Pottings for Solar Panel Systems; Junction Boxes and Inverters

Best Practices in Selecting Coatings and Pottings for Solar Panel Systems; Junction Boxes and Inverters Best Practices in Selecting Catings and Pttings fr Slar Panel Systems; Junctin Bxes and Inverters DfR Slutins, HB Fuller and Tnsan 2004-2007 2010 9000 Virginia Manr Rd Ste 290, Beltsville MD 20705 301-474-0607