Self-Cleaning and Anti-Soiling Coating Validation for Solar Photovoltaic Modules: Test Hydrophobic Surface and Transparent Thin Film Coating Materials on the PV Panel Surface
Dust deposition on solar photovoltaic modules costs energy every day. A self-cleaning coating is meant to help rain and dew carry dust away, by making drops roll off a hydrophobic surface or spread as a sheet on a hydrophilic one. Measure contact angle and sliding angle on coated cover glass, before and after outdoor exposure and abrasion, to check the coating does what it was designed to do.
Who this is for: R&D teams developing anti-soiling coatings for solar, PV glass makers, and module makers qualifying a coating supplier.
Where it fits: Coating material screening, batch release, and durability testing before and alongside outdoor field trials.
What it does not do: It does not measure transmittance, soiling ratio or module power, and it does not replace field validation.
Droplet Lab Team
Droplet Lab builds precision instruments and software for surface science measurement, specialising in contact angle analysis and surface tension characterisation. Used by researchers across materials science, pharmaceuticals, coatings, and advanced manufacturing, Droplet Lab's Dropometer has contributed to studies published in peer-reviewed journals including Advanced Functional Materials (Impact Factor 19). The team combines instrument engineering with deep domain knowledge in wettability science with a focus on practical accuracy.
The effects of dust on solar energy
1.7% per g/m²
drop in normalized PV power for each gram per square metre of dust on the surface, a linear relationship found in indoor tests.
Hachicha, Al-Sawafta and Said, Renewable Energy 141:287 (2019)
6.62%
average power gain over 10 months for coated superhydrophilic panels compared with uncoated panels in an outdoor test in Thailand.
Thongsuwan et al., Scientific Reports 12 (2022)
Sources: C. Schill et al., Soiling losses: impact on the performance of photovoltaic power plants, IEA PVPS T13-21:2022; K. Ilse et al., Techno-economic assessment of soiling losses and mitigation strategies for solar power generation, Joule 3(10):2303 to 2321, 2019; A. A. Hachicha, I. Al-Sawafta, Z. Said, Renewable Energy 141:287 to 297, 2019; W. Thongsuwan et al., Scientific Reports 12, 2022. Figures come from these sources, not from Droplet Lab measurements.
What this anti-soiling coating check does and what it does not
A quick reference for solar coating and module teams checking fit before reading further.
Evidence Box
Self-cleaning coatings for solar glass and other self-cleaning applications that lose their designed wetting outdoors, or vary from batch to batch.
Partially compliant with ISO 19403-7 roll off, up to 60° tilt; fully compliant with ISO 19403-6 dynamic contact angle. Field soiling follows IEC 61724-1.
The Dropometer drop shape method was validated against a KRUSS DSA100E in two peer reviewed papers, in Review of Scientific Instruments and Colloids and Surfaces A.
University of Utah researchers used the Dropometer to show water repellency falling in the cold, and a University of Calgary lab ranked superhydrophobic fibre mats from 130° to 143°.
Researchers used the Dropometer to track how water contact angle developed on superhydrophobic quaking aspen leaves.
Wetting readings screen and release coatings. Soiling ratio, transmittance and module power still decide field performance.
What self-cleaning coating question are you trying to answer?
Pick the card closest to your role. Each one points to the part of this page that answers it.
Coating R&D
You are choosing between hydrophobic and hydrophilic self-cleaning methods and tuning a transparent self-cleaning coating material. Contact angle and sliding angle on coupons rank candidates before you commit to months of outdoor tests.
PV glass or coating QC
Each coated glass batch must match the one that passed field validation. A contact angle and sliding angle gate catches cure, thickness and cleaning problems before glass ships.
Module maker or developer
A supplier claims anti-soiling properties for its self-cleaning solar glass. Measuring incoming coated glass for each solar module, and coupons after exposure, checks the claim before it reaches the field.
Is this the right test for your anti-soiling coating?
It helps when wetting is how the coating is meant to clean. It helps less for optical and electrical performance.
Good fit if
Less relevant if
How to validate a self-cleaning coating for solar panels
The answer in under a minute.
A self-cleaning coating works if water can remove dust from the glass surface. Measure water contact angle and sliding angle on coated cover glass: a hydrophobic coating needs a high angle and drops that roll, a hydrophilic coating needs a very low angle. Repeat after outdoor exposure and abrasion, and release only batches inside your gates.
The Dropometer contact angle kit with its tilt stage runs both checks; our sliding angle measurement guide and contact angle measurement guide explain the methods. The roll off test follows ISO 19403-7, where the Dropometer is partially compliant up to 60° tilt. University of Utah researchers used it to show water repellency changing with temperature, and other researchers to study superhydrophobic aspen leaves. Our consumer products guide covers related coatings.
Expert perspective on self-cleaning surfaces
A surface can pin a drop at a high angle yet never let it roll. High repellency and easy roll-off are different properties, and a single contact angle won't tell you which one you have.
How dust accumulation on the surface cuts solar panel output
Dust accumulation on photovoltaic modules, the slow accumulation of dust on the glass surface, blocks solar radiation from reaching the photovoltaic cells and cuts output. Dust deposition on photovoltaic glass is worst in dry, dusty regions. The effect of soiling is large: the IEA PVPS report, a comprehensive review of soiling losses, estimates that soiling cost at least 3% to 4% of global solar power production in 2018, and indoor tests found PV power fell 1.7% for each gram of dust per square metre. Cleaning with water and labour is expensive, so coating makers offer anti-soiling and self-cleaning coatings for solar glass and other solar devices. The self-cleaning mechanism works in one of two ways. A hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surface makes water bead and roll off, collecting every dust particle in their path. A hydrophilic or super-hydrophilic surface, often a silica coating or a photocatalytic film, makes water spread as a sheet that washes dust away. Both depend on wetting, and both change outdoors: in one Danish study, contact angle and transmittance declined continuously on all coated coupons over 24 weeks. A coating that met its target in the lab may not do so after months of sun, dew and wind blown sand. Contact angle and sliding angle measure that wetting directly, which makes them a fast way to check the self-cleaning effect.
Why anti-soiling coatings underperform and what to check
Why:
- Hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings rely on different water sources. In one field study, hydrophilic and hydrophobic films reduced soiling at a dry site, while soiling mattered less at rainier sites.
How to detect:
Compare contact angle and sliding angle with the target for that coating type. Our hydrophobic vs hydrophilic glossary entry explains the two.Corrective action:
- Match the coating's wetting to the site's rain, dew and dust, and test at the conditions the panels will see.
Why:
- A high contact angle with high hysteresis means drops bead but do not roll, so they dry in place and leave dust behind.
How to detect:
- High contact angle but a high sliding angle, or no slide by 60°.
Corrective action:
Adjust the formulation for lower hysteresis. Our guide to reproducible sliding angle measurement covers the method.Why:
- Sun, heat and moisture change the coating chemistry, so wetting drifts towards bare glass.
How to detect:
- Readings move towards the uncoated glass value over weeks outdoors.
Corrective action:
- Compare formulations on the same exposure rack and rank on retention, not fresh values.
Why:
- Wind blown sand and brush cleaning wear thin film coatings.
How to detect:
- Readings fall after each abrasion set, for example to IEC 62788-7-3.
Corrective action:
- Compare binders and thickness on the same abrasion steps, and set a retention gate.
Why:
- Cemented dust, organic films and salts sit on top and hide the coating's wetting.
How to detect:
Readings recover after a gentle wash. For reference data, see our Droplet Lab reference measurements dataset.Corrective action:
- Measure as found and after a gentle wash, so you separate soiling from coating loss.
Why:
- Dirty glass, uneven spray or dip coating, or a short cure leave a thin or patchy film.
How to detect:
High spot to spot spread, or fresh readings near bare glass. Our experiment on sliding angle on hydrophobic surfaces shows a simple check.Corrective action:
- Lock glass cleaning, coating settings and cure, and measure every batch.
Not sure why your coating is soiling?
Send a fresh coupon and one from the field, and we will compare them on a call.
What an anti-soiling coating test record contains
Each test produces a record you can file with the coating batch, glass lot or solar panel order. These records can feed into your existing quality records under ISO 9001 or your module qualification process.
Coating and glass
Coating material, batch, glass type and lot, application method and cure.
Design target
Hydrophobic or hydrophilic, and the target contact angle and sliding angle.
Method settings
Drop volumes, reading time, tilt rate and spots per coupon.
Readings
Contact angle median and spread, sliding angle, and any drop that did not slide by 60°.
Exposure history
Outdoor site and weeks exposed, dew cycles and abrasion sets completed.
Drop images
Automatic edge and baseline detection gives the same reading from the same image, so a reviewer can recheck any result.
What to measure on a self-cleaning coating for solar glass
Static water contact angle
Why it matters: It shows whether the coated surface is hydrophobic or hydrophilic as designed.
How to interpret: Compare with the uncoated glass and your reference coating. There is no universal pass value; set gates from your own references and field data.
When it is not enough: On a hydrophobic coating it does not show whether drops roll.
Sliding angle on a tilt stage
Why it matters: On hydrophobic coatings, drops must roll to carry dust away.
How to interpret: Lower is better. Compare at the same drop volume, and remember panels sit at their own tilt angle.
When it is not enough: It does not apply to hydrophilic coatings, where water sheets.
Advancing and receding contact angles
Why it matters: Their difference, the hysteresis, explains why some drops stick.
How to interpret: Lower hysteresis usually means easier roll off.
When it is not enough: The onset of motion is hard to capture on some surfaces.
Retention after exposure and abrasion
Why it matters: Field wetting is what cleans the panel, not the fresh value.
How to interpret: Track readings against weeks outdoors and abrasion sets; rank on retention.
When it is not enough: Lab abrasion only approximates sand and cleaning in the field.
Spot to spot spread across a coupon
Why it matters: Patchy films soil unevenly.
How to interpret: A good median with one weak spot still means part of the glass is poorly coated.
When it is not enough: Coupons may not show edge effects on a full module.
Validated measurement approach for anti-soiling coatings
How the Dropometer itself has been validated, and where customers have used it.
Peer reviewed method
The Dropometer drop shape method is published in Review of Scientific Instruments and Colloids and Surfaces A. Contact angle was validated against a KRUSS DSA100E, with a published accuracy of 0.35°.
See the validation papersCustomer evidence on water repellency
University of Utah researchers measured four commercial ski glide waxes with the Dropometer at 2 °C and at room temperature. The waxes sold for the coldest snow were less water repellent in the cold, about 91° versus 99°, a reminder to test at field conditions.
Read the case studyHow to test self-cleaning coatings for solar panels
Six steps to validate self-cleaning on solar panel surfaces for one coating and glass type. Repeat for each new coating material, glass supplier or exposure site.
Lock the method
Fix drop volumes, reading time, tilt rate and spots per coupon. On hydrophilic coatings, read quickly before the drop spreads fully.
Baseline bare glass and a reference
Measure uncoated cover glass and your reference coating on the same day.
Screen coating materials
Measure contact angle, and sliding angle for hydrophobic candidates, on fresh cured coupons.
Expose and abrade
Run outdoor exposure, dew cycles and abrasion sets, then measure as found and after a gentle wash.
Set gates against field data
Compare readings with soiling ratio, transmittance or power from field tests and set release bands. Our measurement method selector helps choose the right tests.
Release each batch and trend
Measure every coated glass batch, release inside the gates, and trend by batch and site.
We completed our gage R&R study on the unit and it performed very well.
Brandon Barbee
Corporate Quality Engineer, Zeus Industries, Polymer Manufacturing
Download the anti-soiling coating validation SOP
A two page SOP you can adapt for your coating and cover glass, with the method lock, gates for hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings, a troubleshooting table and a record sheet.
Sliding angle measurement with the Dropometer
Example anti-soiling coating validation log
Example data only. Your values and gates will differ and must come from your own references.
Example gates: hydrophobic coating at or above 140° with sliding angle at or below 15°; hydrophilic coating: the drop spreads below 10°, the bottom of the Dropometer range. A reading of 10° or more is a hold, and above 20° is a reject. If you need the exact angle below 10°, use a goniometer that reads down to 0°. Coating A kept its wetting after 12 weeks. Coating B still beads water but drops stick, so it is retested. Coating C has drifted towards bare glass.
Example anti-soiling coating validation log
| Coupon | Type | Weeks outdoors | Contact angle (°) | Sliding angle (°) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncoated cover glass | Bare glass | 0 | 32.0 | No slide by 60 | Reference |
| Coating A | Superhydrophobic | 0 | 152.4 | 6 | Release |
| Coating A | Superhydrophobic | 12 | 146.8 | 11 | Release |
| Coating B | Superhydrophobic | 12 | 141.5 | 38 | Retest |
| Coating C | Hydrophilic silica | 0 | Below 10 (spreads) | Spreads | Release |
| Coating C | Hydrophilic silica | 12 | 24.0 | Spreads | Reject |
Example data, not customer data. Water contact angle and sliding angle on flat anti-soiling coated cover glass coupons at room temperature, fixed drop volumes, measured after a gentle rinse and dry.
The order to check signals on coated solar glass
Check these in order when validating self-cleaning of photovoltaic modules. Each one rules out a problem before you look at the next.
Design target
Hydrophobic or hydrophilic, and the target values for each.
Contact angle
Shows whether the coated surface has the designed wetting.
Sliding angle
For hydrophobic coatings, shows whether drops roll or stick.
Retention after exposure
Shows whether wetting holds through sun, dew and abrasion.
Field soiling and transmittance
Confirms that the wetting result cuts energy loss on real modules.
Common questions about self-cleaning and anti-soiling coatings
Questions solar coating, glass and module teams ask before adding contact angle and sliding angle.
How do self-cleaning coatings for solar panels work?
There are two self-cleaning mechanisms. Superhydrophobic coatings make water bead and roll off, picking up dust as drops move. Hydrophilic or super-hydrophilic coatings make water spread as a sheet that washes dust away, and photocatalytic films also break down organic dirt. Researchers call these superhydrophobic self-cleaning and super-hydrophilic self-cleaning; antireflective self-cleaning films combine the second with lower reflection. Both depend on how water wets the glass surface.
Hydrophobic or hydrophilic: which is the best anti-soiling coating?
It depends on the site. A field study comparing hydrophilic and hydrophobic films found both reduced soiling deposition at a dry site, while soiling was less relevant at rainier sites. Test both types at the conditions your modules will see, and measure wetting after exposure, not only fresh.
Why measure sliding angle as well as contact angle?
A high contact angle shows a hydrophobic surface, but drops must also roll to carry dust off. If they stay pinned they dry in place and leave spots. Sliding angle measures how easily drops move, which matters most at the shallow tilt angle many panels sit at.
How durable are anti-soiling coatings outdoors?
Durability is the main open question. In a 24 week outdoor test in Denmark, water contact angle and transmittance declined continuously on all coated and uncoated coupons, and one coating lost 12.4° in the first two weeks. Measure retention, not only fresh values.
Which standards apply?
ISO 19403-7 covers roll off on a tilt stage, where the Dropometer is partially compliant up to 60°, and ISO 19403-6 dynamic contact angle. IEC 61724-1 defines the soiling ratio for field monitoring, and IEC 62788-7-3 covers abrasion of PV module surfaces. We know of no standard that rates self-cleaning properties or anti-soiling performance itself.
Does this replace field testing of PV panel performance?
No. Wetting readings screen coating materials and release batches quickly. Soiling ratio, transmittance and energy yield from field tests show the performance of photovoltaic modules in the PV system, and the two should be compared to set your gates.
Which instrument do we need?
Contact angle and a tilt stage for sliding angle, with repeatable drop volumes and a fast reading for spreading drops. Our guide to the best contact angle goniometer for industrial QA compares options, and our hydrophobic coating performance page covers other hydrophobic coatings.
What changes when you validate anti-soiling coatings with wetting data
Typical changes in how teams work. Benchmarks are given only where a published source exists.
Before and with wetting based validation
| Metric | Before Dropometer | With Dropometer | Indicative Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coating screening | Months of outdoor tests per candidate | Wetting readings on coupons first | No published benchmark; track on your own candidates |
| Soiling losses | Unmeasured | Coating wetting linked to field soiling data | At least 3% to 4% of global solar production lost to soiling in 2018 (IEA PVPS, 2022) |
| Coated vs uncoated output | Supplier claims | Wetting gates plus field comparison | 6.62% average power gain over 10 months for one coated panel set (Thongsuwan et al., 2022) |
| Batch release | Visual check only | Contact angle and sliding angle gates | No published benchmark; track on your own batches |
See the test on your own coated glass
Send a fresh coupon and one from your exposure rack. We will show the difference on a call.
Estimate the cost of coating batch failures
Enter your own numbers. The result is an estimate, not a Droplet Lab claim.
Anti-soiling coating rework estimate
Estimate avoided recoat and requalification cost from coating batch failures.
Result
Monthly savings = preventable rework cost + preventable scrap cost + other monthly savings.
What wetting readings cannot tell you about soiling
Honest limits, so you know when to reach for another test.
Contact angle and sliding angle check that a coating has its designed wetting and keeps it. Transmittance, soiling ratio, energy yield and long term field life still need optical and field testing.
Standards, evidence and related self-cleaning workflows
These pages cover the standards, the customer evidence and the other water repellency problems behind this test.
Standard
ISO 19403-7
Roll off angle on a tilt stage for coated surfaces.
Standard
ISO 19403-6
Dynamic contact angle for paints and coatings.
Case study
University of Utah
Water repellency at 2 °C and room temperature.
Case study
University of Calgary
Superhydrophobic fibre mats ranked from 130° to 143°.
Published paper
Quaking aspen leaves: our analysis
Superhydrophobic leaf surfaces measured with the Dropometer.
Instrument
Dropometer
Contact angle and sliding angle with the tilt stage.
Related use case
Hydrophobicity and self cleaning
All hydrophobic and anti soiling use cases in one place.
Related use case
Hydrophobic coating performance
Verify hydrophobic and ceramic coatings through wear.
Related use case
Ski wax glide testing
Hydrophobicity checks on ski glide waxes.
How this page was created
Editorial and technical transparency notes for this page.
Drafting assistance
Drafted with Claude Opus 5.5 (Anthropic) using web search for sources, then edited by the Droplet Lab team.
Technical review
Reviewed and edited for technical accuracy by the Droplet Lab Team.
Verification steps
Standard identifiers, units, thresholds and key procedural claims are checked against cited sources before publication.
Updates
Reviewed every 12 months or when the underlying method changes.
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