Nano-domains assisted energy transfer in amphiphilic polymer conetworks for wearable luminescent solar concentrators

Chieh-Szu Huang,Sergii Yakunin,Michèle Clerc,Claudio Toncelli,Sebastian Ulrich,Luciano F. Boesel,Konrad Jakubowski,Maksym V. Kovalenko,René M. Rossi

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105039

Abstract

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years for their advantages in absorbing diffusive light and increasing the cost-effectiveness of solar cells; however, the compatibility with flexible photovoltaics and the energy transfer (ET) efficiency still require improvement. In this work, amphiphilic polymer conetworks (APCNs) are employed as polymer matrices for wearable LSCs owing to their flexibility and wearability. Furthermore, with the assistance of APCNs' nanophase separated hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains, hydrophobic (Lumogen Red, acceptor) and hydrophilic (fluorescein, donor) luminescent materials are loaded in adjacent nanometer-separated domains. This results in high ET rates and broaden the acceptor's absorption range, rendering a more efficient down conversion emission. The re-emitted photons are monitored via geometry photoluminescence measurement and Monte Carlo ray tracing simulation, indicating the APCNs LSC vertically-tandem attached to the flexible photovoltaics can effectively increase the light absorbing area and be beneficial to the optimal utilization of incident light. • Nanophase-separated amphiphilic polymers (APCNs) with a straightforward loading process enable high energy transfer between immiscible dyes. • The nano-morphology of APCNs allowed two energy transfer mechanisms, confirmed by steady-state and dynamic photoluminescence methods. • For the first time, a wearable polymer matrix for LSCs was developed that could match the requirements of wearable/ textile solar cells.

Highlights

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are devices with luminescent materials embedded in a transparent waveguide, absorbing solar light from a large surface area to activate luminescent materials, and concentrating the re-emitted light to side-attached photovoltaics (PVs), as shown in Fig. 1 (a)
The details on amphiphilic polymer conetworks (APCNs) synthesis were presented in our previous works [33,38,39,41]
The TMS masking group was cleaved off under acidic conditions, which leads to phase-separation due to the propelling forces triggered by the hydrophobicity difference of crosslinked poly(HEA) and PDMS

Summary

Introduction

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are devices with luminescent materials embedded in a transparent waveguide, absorbing solar light from a large surface area to activate luminescent materials, and concentrating the re-emitted light to side-attached photovoltaics (PVs), as shown in Fig. 1 (a). The structural design of LSCs is no longer confined to side-attached PVs, and vertical-tandem LSCs with arrays of smaller PVs, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 (b). These vertical-tandem LSCs/PVs can enhance the PV’s power conversion efficiency (PCE) via concentrating the incident irra diation and down-shifting the luminous environment of the solar cells [9,10]. In other words, depending on the PVs characteristic spectral response, spectrally matched luminescent materials can re-emit light to the absorption optimum of PVs and increase the PCE of PVs. the rigid-stacked films and sturdy, bulky geometry of conventional and vertical-tandem LSCs are inhibiting factors for implementations in wearable electronics. The design of LSCs is no longer up-to-date with flexible and stretchy photovoltaic devices, e.g., fibrous [11,12,13] and thin-film [14,15] solar cells for prospective applications in medical health monitoring, soft robotics, and high-performance outdoor gear

Objectives

Results

Conclusion