High-Performance CuInS₂ Quantum Dot Laminated Glass Luminescent Solar Concentrators for Windows

Abstract

Building-integrated sunlight harvesting utilizing laminated glass luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) is proposed. By incorporating high quantum yield (>90%), NIR-emitting CuInS 2 /ZnS quantum dots into the polymer interlayer between two sheets of lowiron float glass, a record optical efficiency of 8.1% is demonstrated for a 10 cm × 10 cm device that transmits ∼44% visible light. After completing prototypes by attaching silicon solar cells along the perimeter of the device, the electrical power conversion efficiency was certified at 2.2% with a black background and at 2.9% using a reflective substrate. This "drop-in" LSC solution is particularly attractive because it fits within the existing glazing industry value chain with only modest changes to typical glazing products. Performance modeling predicts >1 GWh annual electricity production for a typical urban skyscraper in most major U.S. cities, enabling significant energy cost savings and potentially "netzero" buildings.

Blue Light Emitting Defective Nanocrystals Composed of Earth‐Abundant Elements

“…Copper‐based ternary chalcogenide NCs are low‐toxicity alternatives to Cd‐ and Pb‐based quantum dots, both of which have been widely studied for photon down‐conversion, photon up‐conversion, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), solar cells, light‐emitting diodes, and bio‐imaging . Over the past two decades, Cu‐In‐S ternary NCs have been synthetically optimized and commercialized .…”

Size-Dependent Band-Gap and Molar Absorption Coefficients of Colloidal CuInS2 Quantum Dots

“…39−41 These QDs have been applied in light-emitting devices, 42−44 luminescent solar concentrators, 45−48 and biolabels. 49,50 However, despite the importance of these nanomaterials, there are at present only two reports on the size-dependence of the molar absorption coefficients of CIS QDs.…”

Zinc Thiolate Enables Bright Cu‐Deficient Cu‐In‐S/ZnS Quantum Dots

“…Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are well suited for low‐cost optoelectronic applications, but are limited in commercial translation because the best‐performing QDs contain cadmium (Cd) and/or lead (Pb). Colloidal copper indium sulfide (CIS) QDs have shown tunable bandgaps, large absorption cross‐sections, and relatively high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) while approaching the performance of Cd‐ and Pb‐containing QDs for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) and photocatalysis . For further successful translation of CIS QDs as an industrially viable colloidal material, attention to the synthetic methods that lead to the rational improvement of optical properties is of interest.…”

“…Colloidal copper indium sulfide (CIS) QDs have shown tunable bandgaps, large absorption cross-sections, and relatively high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) while approaching the performance of Cd-and Pb-containing QDs for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) and photocatalysis. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] For further successful translation of CIS QDs as an industrially viable colloidal material, attention to the synthetic methods that lead to the rational improvement of optical properties is of interest.…”