Preparation of protective coating based on POSS- nanocage for space solar cells and evaluation of its stability in thermal cycling

The surface science experts are facing the challenge to developing technologies of manufacturing of protective covers which could work in space conditions. In the present work, a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) substituted by glycidoxypropyl and methyl groups was synthesized and FT-IR, 29Si NMR and TG were used to characterize the structure of the POSS. The influence of the addition of the POSS on the resin prepared from tetraethylorthosilacate, zirconium (IV) isopropoxide and (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane was evaluated from the point of view of their coating stability in thermal cycling. The effect of thermal cycling was investigated on the bare and coated polycrystalline silicon solar cells and their efficiencies were measured for comparisons. The results showed that the solar cells coated with POSS-nanoadditive have good stability in thermal cycling as compared with bare solar cells.