Scalable AIE emitters for luminescent solar concentrators: the role of fluorination

We report on a series of novel π-conjugated organic emitters based on cores possessing different degrees of fluorination flanked by two naphthothiophene units, obtained through a chemically sustainable synthetic approach. The luminophores exhibit aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior, good compatibility, homogeneous distribution, and excellent photostability in thin-film LSCs based on a PMMA matrix. It was found that by increasing the degree of fluorination in the core the overall efficiency is preserved, while the photostability, which is extremely important in the context of application in energy efficient buildings, is substantially enhanced.