• Tailored durable anti-reflective coatings were designed through induced porosity using a pore-forming agent (Pluronic® P-123). • An increase of up to 5.2 % in optical transmission was achieved compared to bare glass. • Extended thermal treatments weakened the silica network, leading to reduced mechanical resistance • The silica precursor ratio was found to significantly influence coating density. • Adjusting the silica precursor and pore-forming agent concentrations affected the environmental durability of the coatings. Sol-gel porous silica-based anti-reflective coatings (AR) represent a key solution to minimize reflectance losses and improve solar systems efficiency. However extreme climatic conditions compromise the long-term durability of the coatings. This study focuses on the impact of pore-forming agent (Pluronic® P-123) concentration, thermal treatment, and silicon precursor ratio on optical, structural, and environmental durability properties. The introduction of Pluronic® reduced the refractive index, achieving a minimum value of 1.215 at 600 nm, corresponding to a porosity of 56 %, and increased optical transparency, with transmittance reaching 99.8 % at 600 nm. However, higher porosity minimized mechanical stability, with abrasion resistance decreasing as Pluronic® concentration increased. Prolonged (1 h) thermal treatments at 500 °C led to excessive burnout of the Pluronic®, reducing mechanical resistance. Modifying the silicon precursor ratio (TEOS:MTES) impacts coating density, while both silicon precursor ratio and Pluronic® concentration influence the coatings’ environmental durability. These findings highlight the importance of achieving a balance between optical performance and mechanical/environmental durability. Optimal balanced performance was achieved with 2 % v/v Pluronic® and TEOS:MTES ratio of 70:30. By carefully controlling the formulation and processing parameters, AR coatings properties can be tailored for solar applications, ensuring high efficiency and stability under operational conditions.
Barandica et al. (Wed,) studied this question.