Ecofriendly and Efficient Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Fluorescent Proteins

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are explored for efficient, large-area solar energy harvesting.
• Current LSCs utilize engineered materials like quantum dots, organic dyes, and rare-earth ions.
• There is a need for non-toxic, sustainable materials in LSC development for environmental benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of using fluorescent proteins as luminescent materials in LSCs.
• To develop an eco-friendly and efficient LSC architecture using biologically produced materials.
• To evaluate the performance of fluorescent protein-based LSCs for solar energy applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized mScarlet fluorescent proteins using an Escherichia coli expression system.
• Integrated fluorescent proteins into an aqueous medium for solar concentrator fabrication.
• Characterized the optical properties and LSC performance, including quantum yield and external efficiency.

Main Results:

• Achieved high quantum yield (61%) for mScarlet fluorescent proteins in the red spectral region.
• Demonstrated efficient luminescence and wave-guiding in LSCs due to refractive index contrast.
• Obtained an external LSC efficiency of 2.58%, increasing to nearly 5% at high protein concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Fluorescent proteins are viable, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional LSC materials.
• Liquid-state integration of proteins preserves quantum efficiency and enables efficient energy harvesting.
• Developed LSCs show promise for applications like 'luminescent solar curtains' and green energy solutions.