High Stokes shift perylene dyes for luminescent solar concentrators

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photovoltaics
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Highly efficient Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) require luminophores with large spectral separation between absorption and emission (high Stokes shift).
• Plastic-based single-layer LSCs offer a promising, cost-effective solar energy harvesting solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, synthesize, and characterize a novel perylene dye for enhanced performance in plastic-based single-layer LSCs.
• To achieve a significant Stokes shift for improved spectral separation and reduced reabsorption losses.

Main Methods:

• Organic synthesis of a new perylene-based dye.
• Characterization of optical properties, including absorption and emission spectra.
• Evaluation of fluorescent quantum yield and stability in a Luminescent Solar Concentrator (LSC) slab.

Main Results:

• A novel perylene dye was successfully synthesized and characterized.
• The dye exhibits a large Stokes shift of 300 meV.
• A high fluorescent quantum yield of 70% was achieved in the LSC slab, alongside high chemical and photochemical stability.

Conclusions:

• The developed perylene dye is a promising candidate for highly efficient plastic-based single-layer Luminescent Solar Concentrators.
• The large Stokes shift and high quantum yield contribute to improved LSC performance.
• The dye's stability ensures durability for practical solar energy applications.