Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Energy Transfer from an Aggregation-Induced Emitter Conjugated Polymer

Abstract

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are solar-harvesting devices fabricated from a transparent waveguide that is doped or coated with lumophores. Despite their potential for architectural integration, the optical efficiency of LSCs is often limited by incomplete harvesting of solar radiation and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) of lumophores in the solid state. Here, we demonstrate a multilumophore LSC design that circumvents these challenges through a combination of nonradiative Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The LSC incorporates a green-emitting poly(tetraphenylethylene), p-O-TPE, as an energy donor and a red-emitting perylene bisimide molecular dye (PDI-Sil) as the energy acceptor, within an organic–inorganic hybrid diureasil waveguide. Steady-state photoluminescence studies demonstrate the diureasil host induced AIE from the p-O-PTE donor polymer, leading to a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ∼45% and a large Stokes shift of ∼150 nm. Covalent grafting of the PDI-Sil acceptor to the siliceous domains of the diureasil waveguide also inhibits nonradiative losses by preventing molecular aggregation. Due to the excellent spectral overlap, FRET was shown to occur from p-O-TPE to PDI-Sil, which increased with acceptor concentration. As a result, the final LSC (4.5 cm × 4.5 cm × 0.3 cm) with an optimized donor–acceptor ratio (1:1 by wt %) exhibited an internal photon efficiency of 20%, demonstrating a viable design for LSCs utilizing an AIE-based FRET approach to improve the solar-harvesting performance.

Gram-scale synthesis of carbon quantum dots with a large Stokes shift for the fabrication of eco-friendly and high-efficiency luminescent solar concentrators

“…Besides the widely used dyes and polymers, various types of nanocrystals [e.g., inorganic quantum dots (QDs), perovskite nanocrystals, upconversion nanoparticles] have been used as emitters for LSCs. 9,13,15,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] Among these, colloidal QDs have attracted a lot of attention due to their size tunable absorption/ emission spectra, high absorption coefficient, high QY, size/ shape/composition tunable Stokes shift, and good photostability. 7,33,[35][36][37][38] However, the most efficient QDs used for LSCs either contain toxic Pb or Cd elements [e.g., PbS/CdS, CdSe/ CdS, CsPb(Br x I 1Àx ) 3 , Mn 2+ -doped Cd x Zn 1Àx S/ZnS] or non-earthabundant and expensive elements, such as InP/ZnO, CuInS, or CuInS/ZnS.…”

“…7,33,[35][36][37][38] However, the most efficient QDs used for LSCs either contain toxic Pb or Cd elements [e.g., PbS/CdS, CdSe/ CdS, CsPb(Br x I 1Àx ) 3 , Mn 2+ -doped Cd x Zn 1Àx S/ZnS] or non-earthabundant and expensive elements, such as InP/ZnO, CuInS, or CuInS/ZnS. 9,13,15,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] Recently earth-abundant Si QDs or carbon QDs (also named as C-dots) have attracted much attention due to their size-tunable absorption, high QY, low-cost, and eco-friendly metal-free composition. 14,26,[39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] Si QDs have an indirect bandgap, which leads to a low absorption coefficient.…”

Luminescent Solar Collectors: Quo Vadis?

“…[130] Some recent works have developed luminophores endowed with AIE [110] as a possible approach to limit SA. [131][132][133][134][135][136][137] In AIE systems, the energy cost required to form the emissive aggregated state should result in a larger Stokes shift than that of the chromophore in diluted solution. Banal et al investigated a small thin-film LSC (1 × 1 × 0.1 cm, G = 2.5) with tetraphenylethene (TPE) (13) (the archetype of AIE-gen) (Figure 9), as emitter.…”

“…A 4.5 × 4.5 × 0.3 cm LSC (G = 3.75) with an optimized donor-acceptor ratio exhibited an internal optical efficiency of 20% and a η opt of 5.5%, leading to C = 0.19. [137] Very recently Mateen et al reported a first example of LSC with a TADF emitter (23) (Figure 9). Although limited SA was demonstrated, the performances of LSCs remain modest.…”

High‐performance hybrid luminescent‐scattering solar concentrators based on a luminescent conjugated polymer

“…those based on aggregation‐induced emission 22–24 ), quantum dots, 25–28 rare‐earth complexes 29–32 and perovskite nanocrystals 33–35 . Compared with these categories of luminophores that have been extensively studied, conjugated polymers are rarely reported for LSCs 36–38 . Gutierrez et al .…”