Transparent high surface area porous supports as new materials for luminescent solar concentrators

New materials for luminescent solar concentrators, namely Vycor porous glasses and compressed discs of pyrogenic silica impregnated by organometallic complexes are proposed. This type of fluorescent molecules has strong optical absorbance because of the organic ligand and large enough Stokes shift which prevents reabsorption of the emitted photons. Optical properties of two such materials, europium tris benzoylacetonate and tris (2, 2′-bipyridine) ruthenium (II) adsorbed on Vycor porous glass are presented. Enhancement in luminosity was observed.