The development of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) has been hindered by the drawbacks of conventional fluorescent glasses that rely on embedded nanocrystals, including high production costs, solvent-intensive fabrication, and poor recyclability. Researchers at Nankai University, Tianjin University and Shanghai Re-poly Environmental Protection Technology have now introduced a lead-free perovskite derivative, ETP2SbCl5, that addresses these challenges by combining efficiency, recyclability, and low-cost preparation.
ETP2SbCl5, a yellow-emissive perovskite derivative synthesized via a simple room-temperature solution process, can undergo thermal treatment to form fluorescent glasses. Ab initio molecular dynamics revealed structural distortions in the [SbCl5] pyramids during phase transitions (α → β → glass), which directly influence luminescence by broadening and red-shifting the emission. This mechanism allows efficient absorption of ultraviolet light (<420 nm) and enables photoluminescence with a quantum yield of ~52.6%.
When incorporated into LSCs, ETP2SbCl5-based glasses achieved record efficiencies: a power conversion efficiency of ~5.56% and an optical efficiency of ~32.5% in a 3×3×0.5 cm³ device. With an average visible transmission of 78.3%, these glasses balance transparency with photovoltaic performance, effectively guiding both sunlight and emission toward solar cells placed at the device edges.
Unlike nanocrystal-based glasses, ETP2SbCl5 is reversible between phosphor and glass phases. The material not only self-heals upon reheating at ~200 °C but also demonstrates mass recyclability. Remarkably, recycled samples—after up to 10 cycles of phase transition or recovery through ethanol/heating treatments—retain around 95% of their original luminescence properties. This stability ensures repurposability not just for LSCs but also for phosphor-converted LEDs and anti-counterfeiting applications.
This perovskite innovation addresses the key bottleneck in LSC industrialization: large-scale, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible production. By eliminating the need for repeated nanocrystal embedding and enabling near-complete recycling, ETP2SbCl5 opens a pathway for sustainable solar technologies aligned with low-carbon globalization.
