Eco‐Friendly Colloidal Quantum Dot‐Based Luminescent Solar Concentrators

• Published in: Advanced science 2019-05, Vol.6 (9), p.1801967-n/a
• Main Authors: You, Yimin, Tong, Xin, Wang, Wenhao, Sun, Jiachen, Yu, Peng, Ji, Haining, Niu, Xiaobin, Wang, Zhiming M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; colloidal quantum dots; eco‐friendly; Efficiency; Electricity; Heavy metals; Light; luminescent solar concentrators; Nanomaterials; Optical properties; Performance evaluation; Photovoltaic cells; Progress Report; Progress Reports; Quantum dots; Radiation; Solar energy
• ISSN: 2198-3844; 2198-3844
• DOI: 10.1002/advs.201801967

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. Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) based on unary, binary, and ternary eco‐friendly quantum dots (QDs) are reviewed. The synthetic methods, optical properties of these eco‐friendly QDs, and corresponding LSCs' device parameters (e.g., optical efficiencies) are discussed. A deep insight into eco‐friendly QD‐based LSCs paves the way for future low‐cost, environmentally friendly, and high‐efficiency solar energy conversion devices.