Eco‐Friendly Colloidal Quantum Dot‐Based Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Abstract

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have attracted significant attention as promising solar energy conversion devices for building integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems due to their simple architecture and cost‐effective fabrication. Conventional LSCs are generally comprised of an optical waveguide slab with embedded emissive species and coupled PV cells. Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been demonstrated as efficient emissive species for high‐performance LSCs because of their outstanding optical properties including tunable absorption and emission spectra covering the ultraviolet/visible to near‐infrared region, high photoluminescence quantum yield, large absorption cross sections, and considerable photostability. However, current commonly used QDs for high‐performance LSCs consist of highly toxic heavy metals (i.e., cadmium and lead), which are fatal to human health and the environment. In this regard, it is highly desired that heavy metal‐free and environmentally friendly QD‐based LSCs are comprehensively studied. Here, notable advances and developments of LSCs based on unary, binary, and ternary eco‐friendly QDs are presented. The synthetic approaches, optical properties of these eco‐friendly QDs, and consequent device performance of QD‐based LSCs are discussed in detail. A brief outlook pointing out the existing challenges and prospective developments of eco‐friendly QD‐based LSCs is provided, offering guidelines for future device optimizations and commercialization.

Earth abundant colloidal carbon quantum dots for luminescent solar concentrators

“…8,27,33,[36][37][38][39][40] Among them, colloidal QDs have attracted a lot of attention as fluorophores for application in LSCs due to their excellent optical properties, including size/shape/chemical composition tunable absorption spectra, structurally engineered Stokes shift, high QYs and improved photostability compared to traditional organic dyes/polymers. 8,29,38,[40][41][42][43] However, most inorganic QDs (e.g. PbS/CdS, CdSe/CdS, and CuInSe/ZnS) are very sensitive to oxygen and moisture during the synthesis, purification and LSC preparation process, 8,38,[44][45][46][47] and some QDs contain toxic elements (e.g.…”

“…Although several recent reviews have described advances in LSCs, focusing on the different types of fluorophores (dyes, polymers, and QDs), waveguide materials and configuration of LSCs, there is still no report focusing on the use of C-dots for efficient LSCs. 16,25,27,30,31,[33][34][35]43,53 Our objective in this review is to highlight recent developments and exciting perspectives in the field of C-dots in terms of their synthesis, optical properties, and their applications in LSCs. Specifically, we present the key aspects of the design and synthesis of crystalline C-dots through different methods and the control of the optical properties of C-dots by tuning their size/shape, chemical composition and surface chemicals, and review emerging applications of LSCs.…”

“…C-dots have been widely used as efficient fluorophores for LSC fabrication. 8,9,16,43,106,107,119,126,127,[130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137] Table 3 summarizes the most recent research on LSCs based on various types of C-dots compared with other fluorophore based LSCs (e.g. core/ shell QDs, perovskite QDs, dyes and Si QDs).…”

Smart Sensing Systems Using Wearable Optoelectronics

“…and thereby are subject to environmental restrictions and limited industrial applications. Above all, in developing wearable sensors and other devices attached to the body, it is critical to developing QD materials based on nontoxic environment‐friendly substances . To this end, quite a few research groups are attempting to develop environment‐friendly QDs using nontoxic materials such as carbon QDs, silicon QDs, and ternary compound QDs.…”

Effect of co-sensitization of InSb quantum dots on enhancing the photoconversion efficiency of CdS based quantum dot sensitized solar cells

“…However, co-sensitization of InSb QDs with other semiconducting QDs are not reported in the literature. [26][27][28] Henceforth InSb can be studied as viable sensitizer material for QDSSC applications.…”