Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are an emerging technology that offer a novel approach to harnessing solar energy with the potential for enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic systems. Their extraordinary simplicity, compatibility with different host architects, and transparency to sunlight highlight their capability for integration into building facades, windows, greenhouses, and other surface applications. Here, brightly luminescent carbon dots (CDs) with reproduced optical properties and photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 72% located around 504 nm were prepared via facile microwave heating method. They were, then, dispersed in three different matrices of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), epoxy resin, and polyester resin followed by coating on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) waveguides. The effect of each matrix was tested on the optoelectronic performance of the fabricated LSCs. Results showed that both resins changes the emission color of pristine CDs into blue color, while PVP preserves the emission feature of CDs reaching the highest optical efficiency of 4.64% over 4.01% and 3.75% of epoxy and polyster resins, respectively. They also represented a longer-term stability, demonstrating a better role of PVP as cost-effective and efficient polymer to include luminescent agents in LSCs.
