Luminescent solar collector

1. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein each phenoxy ring in the dye compound is substituted at only the para position with an R group independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl.

2. The luminescent solar collector of claim 1 , wherein the four phenoxy rings each have the same R group at the para position.

3. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the dye compound has a quantum efficiency of about 80% or greater.

4. The luminescent solar collector of claim 3 , wherein the compound has a quantum efficiency of 90% or greater.

5. The luminescent solar collector of claim 3 , wherein the dye compound has a quantum efficiency of 95% or greater.

6. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the dye compound has a maximum absorption wavelength of from about 600 nm to 650 nm and has an emission wavelength of 630 nm or greater.

7. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the dye compound is present in an amount of 0.001 to 1.0 weight percent, based on the total weight of the sheet.

8. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the sheet has an edge emission output of about 200 W/m 2 or greater when measured using a sheet of dimensions 60 mm×60 mm×3.2 mm and exposed to a radiation intensity of about 1000 W/m 2 .

9. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polycarbonate polymer or polymethyl methacrylate.

10. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4;

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter; and

wherein the fluorescent dye is a perylene dye.

11. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet, a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet, and a reflective backing layer;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formula (I) and Formula (II):

wherein each R and R′ is independently selected from C 8 -C 18 alkyl, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkyl, C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, substituted C 8 -C 18 alkoxy, and halogen; m represents the number of R substitutents on each phenoxy ring, wherein each m is independently an integer from 0 to 5; and k represents the number of R′ substitutents on each benzimidazole group, wherein each k is independently an integer from 0 to 4; and

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter.

12. A luminescent solar collector comprising a sheet and a light energy converter operatively connected to the sheet;

the sheet comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a fluorescent dye, and a dye compound dispersed therein, wherein the dye compound is selected from the group consisting of Formulas (Ill), (IV), (V), or (VI):

wherein the fluorescent dye and the dye compound each absorb light and radiate the absorbed light at a longer wavelength, and the sheet is configured to transmit radiated light to the light energy converter.