Spinel Cu-Mn-Cr Oxide Nanoparticle-Pigmented Solar Selective Coatings Maintaining >94% Efficiency at 750 degrees C

High-temperature concentrating solar power (CSP) system is capable of harvesting and storing solar energy as heat towards cost-effective dispatchable solar electricity. Solar selective coating is a critical component to boost its efficiency by maximizing solar absorptance and minimizing thermal emittance losses. However, maintaining a high solar-thermal conversion efficiency >90% for long-term operation at >750 degrees C remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report spray-coated spinel Cu-Mn-Cr oxide nanoparticle-pigmented solar selective coatings on Inconel tube sections maintaining >94% efficiency at 750 degrees C and >92.5% at 800 degrees C under 1000x solar concentration after 60 simulated day-night thermal cycles in air, each cycle comprising 12h at 750 degrees C/800 degrees C and 12h cooling to 25 degrees C. The solar spectral selectivity is intrinsic to the band-to-band and d-d transitions of non-stoichiometric spinel Cu-Mn-Cr oxide nanoparticles by balancing the lattice site inversion of Cu2+ and Mn3+ on tetrahedral vs. octahedral sites. This feature offers a large fabrication tolerance in nanoparticle volume fraction and coating thickness, facilitating low-cost and scalable spray-coated high-efficiency solar selective absorbers for high-temperature CSP systems.