Use of Nuclear Techniques in the Characterization of Chrome Black Solar Absorber Surfaces

Abstract

A set of electrodeposited chrome black solar absorbers has been subjected to ion beam analysis in an attempt to determine the concentration depth profiles of the major elemental constituents. Chromium distributions were obtained using the 5 2Cr(p, )i)53Mn nuclear reaction, which is resonant at Ep = 1005·2 ke V. The possibility was investigated of inferring oxygen distributions from the )i-ray lineshapes (measured with a Ge(Li) detector) of the direct capture reaction 160(p, )i)17F. Concentration profiles were also obtained for fluorine and sodium contaminants in some chrome blacks. Complete experimental details are given of the various nuclear techniques used. The results of these measurements are discussed in terms of the microscopic physical features of the selective surfaces and are related to the known photothermal properties of the surfaces.