Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) increase the power output of photovoltaic devices, making the use of solar energy more efficient and economical. Nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) are being studied as luminophores for LSCs due to the ability to engineer them to provide a large Stokes shift, which decreases reabsorption losses. In order to better integrate and stabilize the QDs into the LSCs, polymer ligands with suitable binding sites can be incorporated. Hydroxy-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was synthesized in a controlled manner using atom transfer radical polymerization and subsequently functionalized with a suitable binding group, pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA). A ligand exchange reaction was performed using the PMMA-PEHA with copper indium disulfide QDs containing a cadmium sulfur shell and the native surface ligand, myristic acid. Infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis support a successful ligand exchange. Improvement of optical efficiency is being studied by enhancing the integration of the QDs into the LSCs.

Synthesis of nanocrystal polymer ligands for dispersant-free LSCs

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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