Fabrication of fluorescent PMMA-carbon nanodots optical films and their feasibility in improving solar cells efficiency using low-cost sustainable materials
- Authors: Soares M.C.P.; Cacioppo M.; Amato F.; Cabral T.D.; Carreno M.N.P.; Pereyra I.; Ramos C.A.S.; Cid M.; Goveia G.S.; Chubaci J.F.D.; Fujiwara E.; Bartoli J.R.
- Publication year: 2023
- Type: Articolo in rivista
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/639113
Abstract
Nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots synthesized from l-arginine and ethylenediamine (NCNDs); citric acid-derived carbon nanodots with carboxylic surface groups (alpha-CDs); and Silica-Cdots hybrids produced through coupling alpha-CDs to SiO2 nanoparticles were used for the fabrication of fluorescent PMMA-CDs optical films. The nanoparticles occlusion allows the conversion of a broader UV bandwidth to the visible by enhancing PMMA's natural fluorescence. This UV-to-Visible conversion boost can enhance the efficiency of solar energy concentrators and generators and, as a proof-of-concept, photovoltaic cells were coated with NCNDs-doped PMMA films. Experiments show an 11.3% cell efficiency increase after film application, which can be further enhanced by optimizing film production and deployment, what shows the feasibility and potential of these low-cost environmentally friendly materials.