High-Performance Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Poly(Cyclohexylmethacrylate) (PCHMA) Films

Francisco José Ostos,Andrea Pucci,Marco Carlotti,Giuseppe Iasilli

doi:10.3390/polym12122898

Abstract

In this study, we report on the use of poly(cyclohexylmethacrylate) (PCHMA) as an alternative to the commonly used poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) for the design of efficient luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). PCHMA was selected due to its less polar nature with respect to PMMA, a characteristic that was reported to be beneficial in promoting the fluorophore dispersibility in the matrix, thus maximizing the efficiency of LSCs also at high doping. In this sense, LSC thin films based on PCHMA and containing different contents of Lumogen F Red 305 (LR, 0.2–1.8 wt%) demonstrated optical efficiencies (ηopt) comprising between 9.5% and 10.0%, i.e., about 0.5–1% higher than those collected from the LR/PMMA systems. The higher LR/polymer interactions occurred using the PCHMA matrix maximized the solar harvesting characteristics of the fluorophore and limited the influence of the adverse dissipative phenomena on the fluorophore quantum efficiency. These effects were also reflected by varying the LSC film thickness and reaching maximum ηopt of about 11.5% in the case of PCHMA films of about 30 µm.

Highlights

Climate change is one of the most relevant issues of our time
We prepared PCHMA and PMMA thin films of several thicknesses (23 ± 6, 31 ± 7, and 40 ± 8 μm) containing different amounts of Lumogen F Red 305 (LR) (0.2–1.8 wt%) by drop casting from chloroform solutions
We determined the performances of the LR/PCHMA and LR/PMMA thin films luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) using a Si-based Photovoltaic systems (PV)

Summary

Introduction

It is a shared opinion that the exponential increase in the energy demand has played (and sill plays) a major role in it, due to the vast use of fossil fuels and the related carbon dioxide emissions [1]. In this sense, renewable sources have become a powerful tool to reduce pollution. Solar power is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available and it can be converted into electrical or thermal energy through photochemical, photothermal, or photovoltaic processes. Photovoltaic systems (PV) achieved tremendous progress in the past decades, leading to a 90% decrease in the energy price from 2007 to

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Conclusion