Dual- luminophore efficient luminescent solar concentrator fabricated by low-cost 3D printing

Abstract

Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs), as cost-effective optical devices for photon concentration, have been showing promising applications in photovoltaic systems. Recently, LSCs are being fabricated through different methods to improve their performance and reduce the cost of fabrication. One of the most common and traditional methods of LSC fabrication is Free Radical Polymerization. In which free radicals are formed through thermal decomposition or photolysis of radical initiators. This research work introduces 3D printed LSCs based on CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 Perovskite Nanocrystals (NCs) and an organic Rhodamine b luminophore mixtures. Nowadays, 3D printing technology has a wide variety of applications in industry, medicine, education, etc. 3D printing technique due to the cheap and accessible raw materials is proved to be a facile and cost-effective method to fabricate LSCs. CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 Perovskites were synthesized using a modified reverse microemulsion method. Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) granules with a luminophore concentration of 0.001 wt% were used to fabricate 3D Printer filament as a polymer for LSC fabrication. XRD, FE-SEM, and EDS analysis were applied to synthesized Perovskites to prove formation of CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 Perovskites. Absorption and Photoluminescence spectrum of used luminophores in LSCs were investigated. Re-absorption effect and I–V plots of prepared LSCs were studied. The I–V plot of the attached solar cell to pristine PLA and luminophore dispersed LSCs shows that the solar cell attached to the dual-luminophore LSC is approximately 122% more efficient than the one attached to pristine PLA LSC.