US4416916A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin film solar energy collector
Assignee: BASF Catalysts LLC
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Filing: 1982-03-04
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Granted: 1983-11-22
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Expires: 2002-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A multi-layer solar energy collector of improved stability comprising: (1) a substrate of quartz, silicate glass, stainless steel or aluminum-containing ferritic alloy; (2) a solar absorptive layer comprising silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0-15% by weight of platinum; (3) an interlayer comprising silver or silver/platinum; and (4) an optional external anti-reflective coating, plus a method for preparing a thermally stable multi-layered solar collector, in which the absorptive layer is undercoated with a thin film of silver or silver/platinum to obtain an improved conductor-dielectric tandem.
Inventors
- 👤 Kamran Aykan
- 👤 Robert J. Farrauto
- 👤 Clinton F. Jefferson
- 👤 Richard D. Lanam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 06:14
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24S; F24S70/00; F24S70/30; C; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/34; C03C17/36; C03C17/3602; C03C17/3644; C03C17/3668; C03C17/3678; C03C3/00; C03C3/04; C03C3/06; F24S70/20; F24S70/225; F24S70/25; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y10; Y10S; Y10S126/00; Y10S126/907; Y10S126/908; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12535; Y10T428/12597; Y10T428/12611; Y10T428/1266; Y10T428/12667; Y10T428/12771; Y10T428/12861; Y10T428/12875; Y10T428/12896
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A solar energy collector of improved thermal stability comprising: (a) a substrate selected from the group consisting of quartz, silicate glass, and a stainless steel; (b) a solar absorptive layer containing silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0%-15% by weight of platinum; (c) an interlayer comprising silver or silver/platinum in contact with said solar absorptive layer and said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A solar energy collector of improved thermal stability comprising: (a) a substrate selected from the group consisting of quartz, silicate glass, and a stainless steel; (b) a solar absorptive layer containing silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0%-15% by weight of platinum; (c) an interlayer comprising silver or silver/platinum in contact with said solar absorptive layer and said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A solar collector of claim 1, in which the absorptive layer has at least one anti-reflective coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The solar collector of claim 2, in which the anti-reflective coating comprises cerium oxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The solar collector of claim 2, wherein the (b) component contains about 50%-75% by weight silver, 9%-49.9% by weight copper oxide, 0.1%-1% by weight rhodium/rhodium oxide, and 0%-15% by weight platinum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The solar collector of claim 4, wherein said absorptive layer contains about 1-8% by weight platinum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The solar collector of claim 2, wherein the interlayer comprises 100%-75% silver/0%-25% platinum by weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The solar collector of claim 6, wherein the thickness of the silver/platinum interlayer is about 0.1-1 micron.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The solar collector of claim 1, wherein the (b) component contains about 50%-90% by weight silver, 9%-49.9% by weight copper oxide, 0.1%-1% by weight rhodium/rhodium oxide, and 0%-15% by weight platinum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The solar collector of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the absorptive film is about 0.1-4 micron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The solar collector of claim 8, wherein the substrate component is quartz.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The solar collector of claim 8, wherein the (a) substrate component is stainless steel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The solar collector of claim 8, wherein the substrate component is a silicate glass.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The solar collector of claim 1, wherein the (b) component contains about 50%-75% by weight silver, 9%-49.9% by weight copper oxide, 0.1%-1% by weight rhodium/rhodium oxide, and 0%-15% by weight platinum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The solar collector of claim 13, wherein the absorptive layer contains about 1-8% by weight platinum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The solar collector of claim 1, wherein the (b) component contains about 50%-65% by weight silver, 33.3%-44.7% by weight copper oxide, 0.3%-0.7% by weight rhodium/rhodium oxide, and 0%-15% by weight platinum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The solar collector of claim 1, wherein the (c) interlayer consists essentially of a thin silver film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The solar collector of claim 16, wherein the absorptive layer contains 60% by weight silver, 37.6% by weight copper oxide, 0.4% by weight rhodium/rhodium oxide and 2% by weight platinum.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The solar collector of claim 16, wherein said absorptive film contains 65% by weight silver, 27.6% by weight copper oxide, 0.4% rhodium/rhodium oxide and 7.0% platinum by weight.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The solar collector of claim 16, wherein the thickness of the silver interlayer is about 0.1-1 micron.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for preparing a solar energy collector of improved thermal stability, which comprises: (A) uniformly depositing a thin silver-, or silver/platinum-interlayer onto a substrate selected from the group consisting of quartz, silicate glass, and stainless steel; (B) drying and calcining the coated substrate, at a temperature up to about 800° C.; (C) uniformly depositing silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0-15% platinum onto the surface of the silver- or silver/platinum-coated substrate; and (D) drying and calcining the coated substrate, to obtain the desired collector.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for preparing a solar energy collector of improved thermal stability, which comprises: (A) uniformly depositing a thin silver-, or silver/platinum-interlayer onto a substrate selected from the group consisting of quartz, silicate glass, and stainless steel; (B) drying and calcining the coated substrate, at a temperature up to about 800° C.; (C) uniformly depositing silver, copper oxide, rhodium/rhodium oxide and 0-15% platinum onto the surface of the silver- or silver/platinum-coated substrate; and (D) drying and calcining the coated substrate, to obtain the desired collector.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 20, wherein one or more anti-reflective layers are added as part of the absorptive layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 20, wherein said silver or silver/platinum film is applied as a single thin layer by spin coating a resinate solution of silver or silver/platinum deposited onto the surface of said substrate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 20, wherein said absorptive film is deposited in the form of a single layer by spin coating one or more resinate solutions onto the surface of said substrate, dried and calcined.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3978272A
Cited
US4286009A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |