Sol Gel Protective Laquer Improves Durability for Concentrated Solar

Sol Gel protective lacquer significantly improves the durability and performance of its reflective metal surfaces in outdoor applications, says Alanod Solar. Testing data shows that its lacquered MIRO-SUN® product performs at a level equal to that of glass mirrors in both real world and lab tests.The company also announced that it is building an expanded lacquer coating facility in Ennepetal, Germany to meet rising demand for this product.

“This is a tremendous feat from a technology perspective, and it has significant implications for solar companies and developers,” said Andy Sabel, North American Market Manager for Alanod Solar. “Glass had previously been the measure for long-term performance, but third party testing has shown that our lighter, cheaper and more flexible metal mirrors are now just as durable. This provides a great opportunity for solar companies to create lighter, more modular technologies with the same level of reliability over the life of the system.”

Alanod Solar’s protective coating is an inorganic nanotech lacquer (Sol Gel) applied to its MIRO-SUN product, an aluminum surface that has first been anodized and had a highly reflective layer added through a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. This lacquer is applied to the PVD layer to protect it from external elements. Testing has shown that the Sol Gel treated MIRO-SUN performs radically better than non-coated surfaces and significantly better than those surfaces treated with other coatings currently available in the industry.

“These treated metal mirrors are perfectly suited to the newer, next generation solar systems being deployed around the country,” continued Mr. Sabel. “Companies are no longer forced to incorporate glass into their technology, now they can design a system around a metal mirror that has more advanced properties with guaranteed performance over time.” Alanod Solar materials treated with Sol Gel are extremely durable, and are now guaranteed for ten years in outdoor environments.

The product was tested at Alanod Solar’s own facility and at two independent, internationally recognized third party testing facilities in Europe and the United States. In its own internal studies, the Sol Gel treated MIRO-SUN was submitted to a series of accelerated aging tests, including those for abrasion, change in temperature, boiling water, UV light exposure, physical bending, salt, and steam. In all cases, MIRO-SUN passed the tests with no damage or delamination and a continued level of performance. At both third party testing facilities, MIRO-SUN was exposed to real world weather conditions and accelerated climate chamber testing for a period of at least three years. During these testing periods, the test surfaces again showed no significant degradation and maintained their expected levels of directed reflectivity.

Alanod Solar