Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 634

Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Culture, Design and Social Development (CDSD 2021)

Improve the Photovoltaic Performance of Solar Cells

with New Coating Processes
Edward Han
New York university, Apt.1210-A, Gramercy Green, 310 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10010
edwardhan1115@gmail.com

Abstract
Photovoltaic conversion is a new type of energy generation system that uses the photovoltaic effect of solar cell
semiconductor materials to directly convert solar photovoltaics into electrical energy. The purpose of this article is to
study the use of new coating technology to improve the photovoltaic performance of solar cells. First of all, the
research on the optical characteristics of solar cells is mainly divided into the following two aspects: the use of the
concept of new coating technology to influence the photovoltaic performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films and solar cells,
and guide the design of battery active layer materials from the optical aspect; Explain the experimental results from
the angle of view, and then improve the photovoltaic performance of solar cells. The experimental results show that
when the heating rate is 62℃/min, the selenization temperature is 550℃, the photoelectric performance of the
CZTSSe thin film is the best. This article has certain significance and value for studying the choice of new coating
technology for solar cells.

Keywords: New Coating, Coating Process, Solar Cell, Photovoltaic Performance

used in the production of color paint coatings for solar

1.INTRODUCTION absorber applications [6]. Some scholars use a mixture
of titanium oxide and black mold as a primer, and find
Solar energy has become one of the most promising out the performance of 20% by weight and 40% by
new energy sources, with many advantages such as weight of solar distiller in the combination of titanium
independent power generation and grid-connected oxide material and black mold. In order to check the
power generation [1]. The light loss is mainly related to effect of water depth on productivity, take readings at
the surface reflection, occlusion and the characteristics different water depths (such as 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm).
of the battery device itself [2]. The cause of electrical Under the same environmental conditions, the readings
loss includes carrier loss and ohmic loss. By using of these experiments were compared with a traditional
different materials and coating processes, the solar distiller (CSS) in the same location (Gandhi Nagar,
photovoltaic effect can be extended to higher India, 23.2156° N, 72.6369° E). The productivity of the
dimensions, such as polymer solar cells, dye-sensitized mixture of 20% and 40% is increased by 11-18% and
solar cells, thin-film solar cells, etc. [3-4]. 20-23% [7]. The use of new coating technology to
In order to improve the efficiency of the coating improve the photovoltaic performance of solar cells has
process, researchers have proposed their own schemes certain practical significance.
from different angles [5]. Lei S L uses a simple citric The research content of this paper deepens the
acid-assisted sol-gel combustion method to synthesize understanding of the choice of solar cell coatings, and
cobalt chromite (CoCr2O4) ceramic pigments. Through provides an effective method for designing and
thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, optimizing the experimental program. Research on the
X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning selection of coating raw materials, the ratio of raw
electron microscopy (FESEM), the effect of annealing materials and the thickness of the anti-reflection film is
temperature on the structure, morphology and optical worth learning. At the same time, this article considers
properties of the prepared CoCr2O4 pigment was the combination of coating technology and photovoltaic
systematically studied. The measured solar absorption performance for the first time, which points out the
rate indicates that this ceramic pigment is expected to be direction for how to choose materials to prepare solar

Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license -http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 414
 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 634

cell coatings. Designing a stable coating process can The optical characteristics of the wavelength of light
produce a large-area coating process with stable are determined by the self-interference optical effect of
performance and low preparation cost, which can be the illuminating light in the field of view of each layered
applied to the field of solar energy and promote the system and the specially designed light. This type of
development of solar thermal technology in China. coating is a very thin medium metal film system.
(3) Slightly uneven surface coating
2.RESEARCH ON IMPROVING THE
PHOTOVOLTAIC PERFORMANCE OF The sun absorbing surface can also be prepared by
SOLAR CELLS BY USING NEW COATING providing a more uniform surface and better surface
TECHNOLOGY texture on the surface of a high-infrared metal substrate.
The shallow surface has different effects on long-wave
2.1.Solar Cell and short-wave radiation. In the case of short-wave
generation, due to the rough surface, the incident light is
Pollutants generated during the production of completely absorbed by multiple reflections and
monocrystalline silicon solar energy are not conducive absorptions at the micro-holes. In the case of long-wave
to environmental protection [8-9]. Although the cost of radiation, it acts like a mirror and reflects it, resulting in
manufacturing polycrystalline silicon solar cells is lower lower surface radiation.
than that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, they
dominate the solar cell industry due to their similarity to
2.3.Preparation Method of Coating
monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Compared with (1) Vacuum evaporation method
stone-mineral batteries, amorphous silicon solar cells
can be decomposed through the application and The vacuum evaporation method refers to the heat
processing of bottled mineral batteries [10-11], thus generated by the material contained in the container.
having a certain price competitive advantage. Since this material is non-thin film, it requires a lower
compression rate in a warmer environment. When the
Quantum dot solar cells are a type of solar cells that temperature rises, the raw materials and internal
use semiconductor nanocrystalline materials as narrow molecules escape. When these escaped molecules or
band gap light-absorbing materials to adjust the particles meet the sinking bottom during operation, they
light-absorbing range. Quantum dot sensitizers have the enter the vacuum chamber and are stored on the top as a
advantages of good chemical stability, low synthesis thin layer.
cost and high extinction. Commonly used
semiconductor materials such as CdS, PbS, SnS, ZnO, (2) Chemical vapor deposition method
InP, etc. [12]. It's just that quantum dot solar cells are CVD is also called a chemical reaction process. The
still in the research stage, and they are far from reaching coating material is made in the form of metal or other
the maximum theoretical efficiency of 44%. The main alloy compounds. Generally, contact with the surface of
working principle of dye-sensitized solar cells is that the the substrate under high-temperature cooling or
photosensitizer absorbs light to excite electron-hole protective gas such as argon or hydrogen, causing
pairs, the electrons are collected by the photoanode chemical reactions such as decomposition, fracture, and
(such as TiO2), and the sensitizer in the oxidation state replacement, and finally deposited on the surface of the
is reduced by the redox electrolyte. The production substrate to form a coating.
process is simple and the equipment is cheaper, so the
cost performance is higher than that of monocrystalline (3) Electrochemical conversion method
silicon solar cells. First, attach the necessary metal plate to the positive
2.2.Coating Process electrode of the DC power supply, and put it into the
phosphoric acid electrode for electrolysis. Next, the
(1) Semiconductor coating metal plate is inserted into the electrolyte containing the
salted metal, and the metal particles are electrolyzed into
There are always gaps in semiconductors. If the
small holes to form a plating method called
incident photon power is greater than the semiconductor
electrochemical conversion method.
power gap, the incident photon will be absorbed and the
valence electrons will switch to control. Since the
energy of the incident photon is smaller than the energy
3.INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH ON
gap of the semiconductor, it can penetrate directly IMPROVING THE PHOTOVOLTAIC
without being affected. Therefore, the coating can be PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR CELLS BY
provided by selecting a semiconductor material with a NEW COATING PROCESS
good power gap (preferably 0.62 eV).
3.1.Experimental Method
(2) Multilayer interference filter coating
In order to make the power generation coatings more

415
 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 634

widely used, the entire solar cell is prepared in the form

In the formula: p is the monochromatic
of wallpaper, so that it can be applied on any building
surface. Using coated paper as a carrier, a conductive reflectance; E is the spectral radiant density of the
paint is first coated on it as a conductive primer and the sun.
counter electrode part of the solar cell, and then a
quasi-solid electrolyte and solar power coating are 4.INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF
coated to prepare functional paper, thereby preparing USING NEW COATING TECHNOLOGY
solar cell wallpaper. The X-ray energy spectrometer TO IMPROVE THE PHOTOVOLTAIC
(EDS) of GENESIS manufactured by EDAX in the PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR CELLS
United States was used to analyze the chemical
composition elements of the coating. 4.1.The Effect of Vulcanization Process on the
Performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 Film and Its Solar
3.2.Preparation of Cu2ZnSnS4 Nanoparticles Cell
Add 1.0mmol Cu(NO3)2.3H2O,
The specific parameters of CZTS solar cells
1.8mmolZn(CH3COO)2.2H2O, 1.0mmol SnCl2 In the
prepared under different vulcanization times are shown
microwave. The reaction time is 10 min. After the
in Table 1. It can be seen from the test results that when
reaction is over, take it out and let it cool naturally in the
the vulcanization time is 10min, the short circuit current
air.
density JSC and open circuit voltage VOC of the
Vulcanization treatment: Put the sample and sulfur prepared CZTS solar cell are low, respectively
powder into the high temperature zone and low 4.2mA/cm2 and 208mV, and the final cell conversion
temperature zone respectively. First use a vacuum pump efficiency is about 0.45%. The lower JSC and VOC may
to extract the air in the quartz tube, then pass in argon, be due to the shorter vulcanization time, the crystal
and then vacuum, and a certain amount of argon will be grains of the prepared CZTS film are not fully grown,
passed into the exhaust air, control the air pressure in the and are relatively small, making the grain boundaries
quartz tube to a fixed value, and then close the valves at more, increasing the defect state concentration, and thus
both ends. increasing the carrier recombination. When the
vulcanization time is too long for 40 minutes, the VOC
Selenization treatment: Put the prefabricated film
and JSC of the prepared CZTS solar cell begin to
and selenium particles after spin coating drying into a
decrease again, which is caused by the presence of
small single-port quartz tube, and then put the
Cu2-xS in the film, as shown in Figure 1. Based on the
single-port quartz tube into a single-temperature zone
above results, when the vulcanization time is 40min, the
vacuum annealing furnace. The air is removed by a
performance of the prepared CZTS film is the best.
vacuum pump, and then argon is introduced to complete
the selenization process. Table 1. Specific performance parameters of czts solar
cells prepared under different vulcanization time
3.3 Performance Test of Coating
T (min) VOC (mV) JSC (mA/cm2) Eff. (%)
CZTS decomposes in the annealing process without 10 208 4.2 0.45
sulfur atmosphere, and the decomposition process is
20 312 5.8 0.51
shown in formula 1:
30 422 6.2 0.64
1
Cu 2 ZnSnS 4( s)  Cu 2 S ( s)  ZnS ( s)  SnS ( s)  S 2 ( g ) 40 325 5.9 0.54
2
（1）
First, it decomposes to produce binary sulfides, and
then due to the low melting point of SnS, it is easy to
volatilize, and finally the reaction equilibrium proceeds
to the right.
The absorption rate a is defined by the
corresponding integrating sphere total reflection data
through the analysis software of the test instrument as
shown in formula 2:
2.5

as 
0.3
[1  ps ( )]  Es ( )d
(2)
2.5
 0.3
Es ( )d

416
 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 634

increases, JSC increases, and VOC first increases and

VOC (mV) then decreases. Because the thin film prepared by
JSC (mA/cm2) selenization at 500℃ has better compactness and the
Value Cu2-xSe heterophase is relatively low, the highest
Eff. (%)
0 100 200 300 400 500 efficiency of the prepared battery is 3.23%, the open
circuit voltage VOC is 284mV, and the short circuit
208 current density JSC is 26.4 mA/cm2 is shown in Figure
10 4.2
0.45 2. Through the selenization treatment, the maximum
JSC of the solar cell can reach 29.6mA/cm2, and the
312 maximum VOC is only 312.1mV, which is still far
20 5.8
0.51 behind the open circuit voltage VOC of the current
Time

high-efficiency CZTSSe solar cells. The reason for the

422 lower VOC may be that the interface compound of the
30 6.2
0.64 battery is more serious. The reverse saturation current of
the CZTSSe solar cell prepared at the selenization
325
40 5.9 temperature of 550°C and 600°C is very large.
0.54 Therefore, the CZTSSe thin-film solar cells prepared at
550℃ and 600℃ have lower VOC and FF.

Figure 1. Specific performance parameters of CZTS

solar cells prepared under different vulcanization times VOC (mV) JSC (mA/cm2) Eff. (%)

When the vulcanization temperature is 400℃ and

the vulcanization time is 30min, the prepared CZTS film 300
has better photoelectric properties. Therefore, we fixed
250
the vulcanization temperature at 400℃ and the
vulcanization time at 30min to study the effect of 200
Value

vulcanization pressure (100mbar, 200mbar, 300mbar

150
and 400mbar) on the performance of the prepared CZTS
film. The prepared film is a kesterite structure CZTS 100
with good crystallinity, and has obvious crystal plane
preferred orientation. With the change of vulcanization 50
pressure, no impurity phase was found. However, 0
through EDS analysis, the pressure change of 500 550 600
vulcanization has a certain effect on the ratio of Temperature
elements in the film. With the decrease of vulcanization
pressure, the content of Sn in the prepared CZTS film
gradually decreases, and the other elements are basically Figure 2. Specific parameters of the performance of
unchanged. The vulcanization experiment in this paper CZTSSe solar cells prepared at different selenization
is carried out under low pressure. The continuous temperatures
decrease of vulcanization pressure increases the
Compared with CZTSSe thin-film solar cells
volatilization of SnS, which leads to the decrease of Sn
prepared by slow heating, the open-circuit voltage and
content in the film.
short-circuit current density of thin-film solar cells
prepared by rapid heating are significantly improved,
4.2.The Effect of Selenization Process on the with VOC reaching 321.2mV and JSC reaching
Performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 Film and Its Solar 25.12mA/cm2. The cell conversion efficiency reaches
Cell 3.5%, which is significantly improved compared with
thin-film solar cells prepared by slow heating. However,
Due to the influence of Cu2-xSe impurity phase and
the fill factor of the prepared battery has decreased. The
surface pores, the conversion efficiency of CZTSSe
rapid heating has caused the Mo electrode to deform
solar cells with selenization temperatures of 500℃,
greatly. There are obviously some microcracks in the
550℃ and 600℃ is obviously low. Especially when the
Mo electrode. By optimizing the selenization
selenization temperature is 600 ℃, due to the
temperature, time and heating rate, we finally get when
volatilization of Sn element, the Cu2-xSe heterophase
the heating rate is 62℃/min and the selenization
exists on the surface of the prepared film, which makes
temperature is 550℃ , The photoelectric performance of
the JSC and VOC of the film significantly decrease, and
the CZTSSe thin film prepared when the selenization is
the final battery conversion efficiency is only 0.46 %.
30min is the best.
Generally speaking, as the selenization temperature

417
 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 634

5.CONCLUSIONS [9] Mehmood R , Tabassum R , Kuharat S , et al.

Thermal Slip in Oblique Radiative Nano-polymer
The development of renewable energy has become a Gel Transport with Temperature-Dependent
hotspot in energy research, so how to efficiently use Viscosity: Solar Collector Nanomaterial Coating
solar energy has become a research topic for many Manufacturing Simulation[J]. Arabian Journal for
researchers. In order to improve the efficiency of solar Science and Engineering. Section A, Sciences,
cells, this article selects the coating process for 2019, 44(2):1525-1541.
photovoltaic performance, and uses Cu2ZnSnS4 thin
film as the research object. Explore the effect of [10] Mico-Vicent B , Lopez-Herraiz M , Bello A , et
vulcanization process on the performance of al. Synthesis of pillared clays from metallic salts as
Cu2ZnSnS4 film and its solar cell and the effect of pigments for thermosolar absorptive coatings[J].
selenization process on the performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 Solar Energy, 2017, 155(oct.):314-322.
film and its solar cell. The theoretical simulation of the
[11] Park D , Kim M , So W , et al. Evaluation of
coating in this paper, as well as the cooperation of the
Bifacial Si Solar Module with Different Albedo
experimental methods, make the solar selective coating
process have theoretical support. Conditions[J]. Current Photovoltaic Research, 2018,
6(2):62-67.
REFERENCES [12] Lei S L , Liang G J , Wang Y , et al. Sol-gel
combustion synthesis and characterization of
[1] Shen G , Du Z , Pan Z , et al. Solar Paint from
CoCr2O4 ceramic powder used as color solar
TiO2 Particles Supported Quantum Dots for
absorber pigment[J]. Optoelectronics Letters, 2020,
Photoanodes in Quantum Dot–Sensitized Solar
16(5):365-368.
Cells[J]. Acs Omega, 2018, 3(1):1102-1109.
[2] Service R F . Cool paint job fights solar warmth[J].
Science, 2018, 361(6409):1303-1303.
[3] Miller J , Nwe K , Youn Y , et al. Development
of a low environmental impact, porous solar
absorber coating utilizing binary/ternary solvent
blends for CSP systems[J]. The Korean journal of
chemical engineering, 2019, 36(6):996-1003.
[4] N Martínez, Rico A , CJ Múnez, et al. Improving
durability of silicone-based paint coatings used in
solar power plants by controlling consolidation
procedures[J]. Solar Energy, 2020,
199(31):585-595.
[5] FG Aránzazu, Adel J , Florian S , et al. Solar
Reflector Materials Degradation Due to the Sand
Deposited on the Backside Protective Paints[J].
Energies, 2018, 11(4):808.
[6] Souto T , Almeida M , Leal V , et al. Total
Solar Reflectance Optimization of the External
Paint Coat in Residential Buildings Located in
Mediterranean Climates[J]. Energies, 2020,
13(11):2729.
[7] Al-Hamadani A , Al-Azawi L . The Effect of
Different Paint Material of Absorber on Exergy and
Energy of Parabolic Solar Dish[J]. International
Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 2018,
Volume 8(Issue 11, November 2019):794-801.
[8] Pakala M , Kumar G A , Koka M . Design,
fabrication and testing of solar concrete collector at
Kakinada[J]. Invertis Journal of Renewable Energy,
2018, 8(1):10.

418