Doped Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Reabsorption-Free Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising solution-processed emitters for low-cost optoelectronics and photonics. Doping adds a degree of freedom for their design and enables us to fully decouple their absorption and emission functions. This is paramount for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) that enable fabrication of electrode-less solar windows for building-integrated photovoltaic applications. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of manganese-doped CsPbCl₃ NCs as reabsorption-free emitters for large-area LSCs. Light propagation measurements and Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the dopant emission is unaffected by reabsorption. Nanocomposite LSCs were fabricated via mass copolymerization of acrylate monomers, ensuring thermal and mechanical stability and optimal compatibility of the NCs, with fully preserved emission efficiency. As a result, perovskite LSCs behave closely to ideal devices, in which all portions of the illuminated area contribute equally to the total optical power. These results demonstrate the potential of doped perovskite NCs for LSCs, as well as for other photonic technologies relying on low-attenuation long-range optical wave guiding

Facile Solvothermal Preparation of Monodisperse Gold Nanoparticles and Their Engineered Assembly of Ferritin–Gold Nanoclusters

Herein, we report a quick and simple synthesis of water-soluble gold nanoparticles using a HAuCl₄ and oleylamine mixture. Oleylamine serves as a reduction agent as well as a stabilizer for nanoparticle surfaces. The particle sizes can be adjusted by modulating reaction temperature and time. Solvothermal reduction of HAuCl₄ with oleylamine can be confirmed by measuring the product in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The plasmon band shifting from yellow to red confirms a nanosized particle formation. Amide bonds on the surface of the nanoparticles formed hydrogen bonds with one another, resulting in a hydrophobic monolayer. Particles dispersed well in nonpolar organic solvents, such as in hexane or toluene, by brief sonication. Next, we demonstrated the transfer of gold nanoparticles into water by lipid capsulation using 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-<i>sn</i>-glycero-3-phosphocholine (MHPC), 1,2-distearoyl-<i>sn</i>-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-<i>N</i>-(methoxy polyethylene glycol)-2000 (DPPE-PEG2k), and 1,2-dioleoyl-<i>sn</i>-glycero-3-<i>N</i>-{5-amino-1-carboxypentyl}­iminodiacetic acid succinyl nickel salt [DGS-NTA­(Ni)]. The particle concentration can be obtained using an absorbance in ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra (at 420 nm). Instrumental analyses using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and FTIR confirmed successful production of gold nanoparticles and fair solubility in water. Prepared gold particles were selectively clustered via engineered ferritin nanocages that provide multiple conjugation moieties. A total of 5–6 gold nanoparticles were clustered on a single ferritin nanocage confirmed in TEM. Reported solvothermal synthesis and preparation of gold nanoclusters may serve as an efficient, alternate way of preparing water-soluble gold nanoparticles, which can be used in a wide variety of biomedical applications

Nearly Monodisperse Insulator Cs₄PbX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) Nanocrystals, Their Mixed Halide Compositions, and Their Transformation into CsPbX₃ Nanocrystals

We have developed a colloidal synthesis of nearly monodisperse nanocrystals of pure Cs₄PbX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) and their mixed halide compositions with sizes ranging from 9 to 37 nm. The optical absorption spectra of these nanocrystals display a sharp, high energy peak due to transitions between states localized in individual PbX₆^4– octahedra. These spectral features are insensitive to the size of the particles and in agreement with the features of the corresponding bulk materials. Samples with mixed halide composition exhibit absorption bands that are intermediate in spectral position between those of the pure halide compounds. Furthermore, the absorption bands of intermediate compositions broaden due to the different possible combinations of halide coordination around the Pb²⁺ ions. Both observations are supportive of the fact that the [PbX₆]^4– octahedra are electronically decoupled in these systems. Because of the large band gap of Cs₄PbX₆ (>3.2 eV), no excitonic emission in the visible range was observed. The Cs₄PbBr₆ nanocrystals can be converted into green fluorescent CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals by their reaction with an excess of PbBr₂ with preservation of size and size distributions. The insertion of PbX₂ into Cs₄PbX₆ provides a means of accessing CsPbX₃ nanocrystals in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and compositions, an important aspect for the development of precisely tuned perovskite nanocrystal inks