Solar absorption and thermal emission properties of multiwall carbon nanotube/nickel oxide nanocomposite thin films synthesized by sol-gel process

► MWCNT/NiO nanocomposite coatings were used for solar absorber application. ► The coatings were deposited using sol-gel method on Al substrates. ► The composite materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, Raman, UV-Vis and FTIR. ► Optical properties of the coatings suggest that the MWCNT/NiO nanocomposite coatings are suitable for solar thermal application.