Solar Materials Science

Solar Materials Science is a collection of lecture series on solar and other related energy technologies, sponsored by the New Mexico Joint Center for Materials Science. This book is divided into three sections encompassing 21 chapters that discuss the basic concepts of materials science, their utilization in solar technology, and examples of this utilization and the technology. The introductory chapters present an overview of the solar materials science and technology. Section I describes the optical properties, microstructure, and materials used in solar collectors and mirrors. This section also examines metals emissivity, spectral selectivity of composite for absorbers, and corrosion of solar thermal energy materials. Section II deals with the application of thermodynamic principles and reversible chemical reactions to solar storage systems. This section also considers the materials problems encountered during the development of thermochemical concepts and schemes. Section III focuses on the principles, materials used, and encountered problems in the development of photovoltaic systems. The optimization of solar conversion devices is also covered in this section. Undergraduate and graduate students in metallurgy, metallurgical and materials engineering, materials science, electrical and mechanical engineering, engineering science, and solid-state physics and chemistry will greatly benefit from this book.