{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:18:19Z","timestamp":1760145499640,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,6]],"date-time":"2024-08-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722902400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT\u2014Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia","award":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"]}]},{"name":"COMPETE 2020 Program and National Funds through the FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"]}]},{"name":"PRR\u2014Recovery and Resilience Plan and by the Next-Generation EU Funds","award":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00285\/2020","LA\/P\/0112\/2020","LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-039985\/POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039985","LA\/P\/0037\/2020","UIDP\/50025\/2020","UIDB\/50025\/2020","02\/C05-i01\/2022"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Energies"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study focused on the development and characterization of multi-layered nickel coatings doped with WS2 nanoparticles and electrodeposited on copper substrates. To enhance the solar collector\u2019s performance by improving the solar radiation conversion into heat, two distinct undercoatings were evaluated, along with the incorporation of WS2 nanoparticles in the black nickel layer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the bright and dull nickel undercoatings consisted of metallic nickel, whereas the black coatings comprised amorphous nickel oxide, inferred to be Ni2O3 based on energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the undercoatings and black nickel morphology showed a compact surface with a relatively homogenous microstructure composed of polyhedric grains, which was free of visible cracks or pinholes. The undercoating influenced the brightness, the reflectivity and the reflectance of the black nickel films, with the dull undercoated sample showing the most promising results, with a total absorbance of 0.94. The incorporation of WS2 nanoparticles induced the formation of cracks and increased the porosity of the black nickel film. With an appropriate content of WS2 nanoparticles and the use of a dull undercoat, these drawbacks can be avoided. Concerning the integration of WS2 nanoparticles, a minor decrease in the brightness of the black films and a subsequent increase in the total absorbance ultimately led to an enhancement of the conversion of solar energy into thermal energy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/en17163869","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,6]],"date-time":"2024-08-06T08:07:59Z","timestamp":1722931679000},"page":"3869","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Enhancing Solar Absorption with Double-Layered Nickel Coatings and WS2 Nanoparticles on Copper Substrates"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2217-4584","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susana","family":"Devesa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3596-6588","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zohra","family":"Benzarti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory of Multifunctional Materials and Applications (LaMMA), Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Soukra Road km 3.5, B.P. 1171, Sfax 3000, Tunisia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-8039-7541","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gabriel","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Diogo","family":"Cavaleiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1890-1133","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio","family":"Cunha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physics Department, University of Aveiro, i3N, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SRAMPORT Lda., Rua Ant\u00f3nio S\u00e9rgio 15, 3025-041 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3643-4973","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandra","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2024, May 23). NASA, Available online: https:\/\/Ceres.Larc.Nasa.Gov\/News\/Education-Overview\/#additional-Energy-Budget-Resources."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2012.11.051","article-title":"A Review of Solar Collectors and Thermal Energy Storage in Solar Thermal Applications","volume":"104","author":"Tian","year":"2013","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2015.04.087","article-title":"Performance Enhancement of Solar Collectors\u2014A Review","volume":"49","author":"Suman","year":"2015","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"460","DOI":"10.1016\/j.electacta.2016.07.125","article-title":"Influence of a Metallic Nickel Interlayer on the Performance of Solar Absorber Coatings Based on Black Nickel Electrodeposited onto Copper","volume":"213","author":"Oskam","year":"2016","journal-title":"Electrochim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"979","DOI":"10.1007\/s11998-014-9592-9","article-title":"Application of CuCoMnO x Coat by Sol Gel Technique on Aluminum and Copper Substrates for Solar Absorber Application","volume":"11","author":"Shoeib","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Coat. Technol. Res."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"084891","DOI":"10.1155\/IJP\/2006\/84891","article-title":"Electrochemical Nano-Coating Processes in Solar Energy Systems","volume":"2006","year":"2006","journal-title":"Int. J. Photoenergy"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5553","DOI":"10.1007\/s10854-014-2195-5","article-title":"Electrodeposition and Characterization of Nanostructured Black Nickel Selective Absorber Coatings for Solar\u2013Thermal Energy Conversion","volume":"26","author":"Oskam","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pecs.2004.02.001","article-title":"Solar Thermal Collectors and Applications","volume":"30","author":"Kalogirou","year":"2004","journal-title":"Prog. Energy Combust. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/S0927-0248(98)00113-5","article-title":"Characterization of Black Nickel Solar Absorber Coatings Electroplated in a Nickel Chlorine Aqueous Solution","volume":"56","year":"1998","journal-title":"Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/0927-0248(94)90287-9","article-title":"Stable Selective Coating \u201cBlack Nickel\u201d for Solar Collector Surfaces","volume":"33","author":"Koltun","year":"1994","journal-title":"Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.1080\/10426910008913017","article-title":"Black Nickel Coatings for Solar Collectors","volume":"15","author":"Shawki","year":"2000","journal-title":"Mater. Manuf. Process."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100023","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jer.2023.100023","article-title":"Deposition of Black Chromium Coating for Solar Thermal Application","volume":"11","author":"Sadiq","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Eng. Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Merlo, A., and L\u00e9onard, G. (2021). Magnetron Sputtering vs. Electrodeposition for Hard Chrome Coatings: A Comparison of Environmental and Economic Performances. Materials, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma14143823"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1080\/00202967.2020.1776962","article-title":"Alternative Tribological Coatings to Electrodeposited Hard Chromium: A Critical Review","volume":"98","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trans. IMF"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, M., Xue, Z., Yan, S., He, J., Shao, Q., Ge, W., and Lu, B. (2022). Pulse Electrodeposited Super-Hydrophobic Ni-Co\/WS2 Nanocomposite Coatings with Enhanced Corrosion-Resistance. Coatings, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings12121897"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129008","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2022.129008","article-title":"Construction and Anti-Corrosion Behavior Study of Silanol-Modified Ni-WS2 Superhydrophobic Composite Coating","volume":"450","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Surf. Coat. Technol."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Swanson, H.E., and Fuyat, R.K. (2024, March 21). National Bureau of Standard (U.S.) Circular 539, Available online: https:\/\/nvlpubs.nist.gov\/nistpubs\/Legacy\/circ\/nbscircular539v2.pdf."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3530","DOI":"10.1002\/pssc.200779428","article-title":"Electrochemical Deposition of Ni-based Thin Film Cermets Using Polymeric Additives","volume":"5","author":"Duta","year":"2008","journal-title":"Phys. Status Solidi C"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"957","DOI":"10.1007\/s10800-006-9162-7","article-title":"Recent Developments in the Electrodeposition of Nickel and Some Nickel-Based Alloys","volume":"36","author":"Smith","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Appl. Electrochem."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Okonkwo, B.O., Jeong, C., and Jang, C. (2022). Advances on Cr and Ni Electrodeposition for Industrial Applications\u2014A Review. Coatings, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings12101555"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"409","DOI":"10.1007\/s11998-010-9310-1","article-title":"A Study on the Electrocodeposition Processes and Properties of Ni\u2013SiC Nanocomposite Coatings","volume":"8","author":"Wang","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Coat. Technol. Res."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ponte, F., Sharma, P., Figueiredo, N.M., Ferreira, J., and Carvalho, S. (2023). Decorative Chromium Coatings on Polycarbonate Substrate for the Automotive Industry. Materials, 16.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma16062315"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carneiro, E., Parreira, N.M.G., Vuchkov, T., Cavaleiro, A., Ferreira, J., Andritschky, M., and Carvalho, S. (2021). Cr-Based Sputtered Decorative Coatings for Automotive Industry. Materials, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ma14195527"},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Sharon, N.M.L., and Kumar, A.S. (2022, January 15\u201318). Electroplating of Black Nickel: Bath Age and Its Effect on Coating Quality. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference of Asian Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2749","DOI":"10.1039\/B204483H","article-title":"The Physical and Chemical Properties of Electroless Nickel\u2013Phosphorus Alloys and Low Reflectance Nickel\u2013Phosphorus Black Surfaces","volume":"12","author":"Brown","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Mater. Chem."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kennedy, C.E. (2002). Review of Mid- to High-Temperature Solar Selective Absorber Materials, National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL).","DOI":"10.2172\/15000706"},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"(2022). Solar Energy\u2014Reference Solar Spectral Irradiance at the Ground at Different Receiving Conditions\u2014Part 1: Direct Normal and Hemispherical Solar Irradiance for Air Mass 1.5 (Standard No. ISO 9845-1:2022)."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2847","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00700767","article-title":"Materials for Photothermal Solar Energy Conversion","volume":"18","author":"Bogaerts","year":"1983","journal-title":"J. Mater. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"685","DOI":"10.1016\/j.solmat.2004.07.045","article-title":"Electrochemical Deposition of Black Nickel Solar Absorber Coatings on Stainless Steel AISI316L for Thermal Solar. Cells","volume":"87","author":"Brustenga","year":"2005","journal-title":"Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells"}],"container-title":["Energies"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1073\/17\/16\/3869\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T15:30:40Z","timestamp":1760110240000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1073\/17\/16\/3869"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,6]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"16","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"alternative-id":["en17163869"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/en17163869","relation":{},"ISSN":["1996-1073"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1996-1073"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,6]]}}}