Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yongfei Hu, Shefiu Kareem, Hao Dong, Wei Xiong, Shouqin Tian, Javad Shamsi, Ling Li, Xiujian Zhao, Yi Xie
Summary: Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals have great potential for photoelectronic applications, but maximizing their stability remains a challenge. A novel surface functionalization method was developed, resulting in superhydrophobic SiO2-coated CsPbBr3 nanoparticle films with excellent water repellency, self-cleaning properties, and high stability. The luminescent films showed a 46% increase in photoluminescence intensity over 180 days, and CsPb2Br5-based luminescent films maintained 75% of their initial intensity after 10 days of water soaking. White-light-emitting diode devices using these nanoparticles achieved over 20% external quantum efficiency and maintained high stability even after 2 weeks.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wanyin Ge, Jindou Shi, Ye Tian, Meimei Xu, Yuanting Wu, Yongxiang Li
Summary: Researchers prepared large-yield stable CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 core-shell nanocrystals by adjusting the initial ratio of Cs/Pb using one-pot route. The growth process of CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 nanocrystals was analyzed, and their stability was evaluated under atmospheric conditions, showing excellent stability compared to pure phase CsPbBr3 nanocrystals. A writable fluorescent ink developed by mixing CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 nanocrystals with thermoplastic polyurethane exhibited excellent heat-resistance stability under multiple heating-cooling cycles, providing alternative options for the commercial development of perovskite materials.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Cynthia Collantes, William Teixeira, Victoria Gonzalez-Pedro, Maria-Jose Banuls, Pedro Quintero-Campos, Sergi Morais, Angel Maquieira
Summary: In this study, stable and multicolored CsPbX3@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles were successfully prepared using a simple method. The concentration of the precursor played a crucial role in controlling the formation of the nanoparticles and the number of core-free particles. The nanoparticles exhibited high photoluminescence quantum yields and increased structural stability due to the silica coating, and they showed specific recognition of an antibody, demonstrating their potential as fluorescent probes in biosensing applications.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anupam Manna, Tarun Kumar Dinda, Subhadip Ghosh, Prasenjit Mal
Summary: A newly synthesized green-fluorescent, orthorhombic, bromide-rich, perovskite nanocrystal obtained from an unprecedented bromide precursor was found to be an excellent visible-light photocatalyst for the synthesis of gem-dihaloenones. The CsPbBr3 nanocrystal catalyzed the cleavage of CBrX3 followed by cross-coupling with terminal alkynes to produce gem-dihaloenones. These findings not only enrich the synthetic methodology of CsPbBr3 but also inspire the development of efficient and cost-effective photocatalytic materials.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaobin Xie, Marijn A. van Huis, Alfons van Blaaderen
Summary: A new method for synthesizing Au NP@mSiO(2) yolk-shell particles with tunable size and hollow space is proposed, the structure can be manipulated from core-shell to yolk-shell by varying reaction parameters, and the release of Au nanotriangle cores in yolk-shell particles was demonstrated through liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Qiliang Zhu, Fan Ye, Wei Yan, Jingrun Zhu, Jianhua Shen, Kan-Hao Xue, Yihua Zhu, Chunzhong Li
Summary: A surface reconstruction strategy is used to synthesize CsPbBr3/CsPb2Br5 core/shell nanocrystals with a uniform coating structure, which exhibit excellent optoelectronic properties and good stability. The core/shell structure is characterized at the atomic scale, and the binding energy between the CsPb2Br5 (116) facet and the CsPbBr3 (100) facet is revealed by density functional theory calculations. The prepared core/shell perovskite nanocrystals can maintain photoluminescence emission after >30 days in water.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Andreas Manoli, Paris Papagiorgis, Marios Sergides, Caterina Bernasconi, Modestos Athanasiou, Sergey Pozov, Stelios A. Choulis, Maryna Bodnarchuk, Maksym Kovalenko, Andreas Othonos, Grigorios Itskos
Summary: This study investigates the impact of different surface passivation routes on the optoelectronic properties of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals, demonstrating that passivation with quaternary ammonium or zwitterionic surfactants can significantly enhance the emission yield, reduce trap depth, and increase exciton binding energy. Furthermore, these ligands can better maintain nanocrystal size and enhance exciton-photon interactions. The suitability of these ligands in photonics is evaluated through various metrics including amplified spontaneous emission threshold, moisture tolerance, photoconductivity, and electroluminescent performance.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Chen-Yen Tsai, Yi-Hsuan Chen, Szetsen Lee, Chia-Her Lin, Chu-Han Chang, Wan-Ting Dai, Wan-Ling Liu
Summary: A SiO2@MOF core-shell microsphere was synthesized for environmentally friendly applications, showing high catalytic activity in the cycloaddition reaction of epoxides. Specifically, SiO2@ZIF-67 achieved a maximum conversion of 97% and could be used for multiple reaction cycles.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chengxi Zhang, Jiayi Chen, Lingmei Kong, Lin Wang, Sheng Wang, Wei Chen, Rundong Mao, Lyudmila Turyanska, Guohua Jia, Xuyong Yang
Summary: Core/shell structured metal halide perovskite nanocrystals are a type of material with remarkable optical and electronic properties, with rapid development and significant advances in research in recent years. Enhancing the stability and optical performance of these materials is crucial for their applications in optoelectronic technologies. The review summarizes recent advances in core/shell structured perovskite nanocrystals, including band structures, shell classification, shell engineering approaches, and discussions on potential applications in different devices.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Oleg Ovchinnikov, Sergey Aslanov, Mikhail Smirnov, Alexey Perepelitsa, Tamara Kondratenko, Alexandr Selyukov, Irina Grevtseva
Summary: This paper presents studies on the luminescent properties of colloidal Ag2S quantum dots coated with SiO2 shell, analyzing various approaches to SiO2 shell formation. Results show that forming a SiO2 shell can increase the quantum yield of luminescence, with different precursors affecting the quality of the shell.
OPTICAL MATERIALS EXPRESS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andre Felipe Vale da Fonseca, Brener Rodrigo Carvalho Vale, Thais Adriany de Souza Carvalho, Jefferson Bettini, Arnaldo Cesar Pereira, Marco Antonio Schiavon
Summary: Perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have shown promise for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications due to their unique properties, such as tunable bandgap and high stability. A recent study investigated the effects of coating CsPbBr3 nanocrystal surfaces with a Cs4PbBr6 shell on the charge transfer properties of PNCs. The results showed that post-treatment with ethyl acetate induced a phase change, improving external charge transfer properties, while post-treatment with isopropyl alcohol maintained the original structure and enhanced optical properties, both important for PNCs in photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical devices.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Cynthia Collantes, Victoria Gonzalez Pedro, Maria-Jose Banuls, Angel Maquieira
Summary: Despite ongoing advances in metal halide perovskite nanocrystals, their use as luminescent labels for ex vivo imaging and biosensing is still in the early stages of investigation. The synthesis of monodispersed spherical CsPb2Br5@SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles by post-synthetic chemical transformation of 3D CsPbBr3 NCs has been achieved, with the potential for future applications in luminescent biological labels.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing-Yin Xu, Xin Tong, Lucas V. Besteiro, Xin Li, Chenxia Hu, Ruitong Liu, Ali Imran Channa, Haiguang Zhao, Federico Rosei, Alexander O. Govorov, Qiang Wang, Zhiming M. Wang
Summary: By synthesizing a new type of CuInTeSe/CdS g-QDs and regulating their optoelectronic properties through controlling the shell thickness, the research has demonstrated improved photoresponse and stability, laying a foundation for future QD-based optoelectronic technologies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xue Bai, Finn Purcell-Milton, Yurii K. Gun'ko
Summary: Cu-Based quantum dots are being explored as a potential replacement for toxic Cd- or Pb-based QDs, with studies focusing on the impact of different reaction conditions on the resulting morphologies and optical properties. By carefully controlling the ZnS shell deposition, researchers have optimized the synthesis of CIZS/ZnS/ZnS QDs and produced highly fluorescent core/shell/shell heterostructured QDs with high PLQYs. Additionally, the successful creation of giant ZnS shell QDs opens up possibilities for further development in this area.
Article
Physics, Applied
Guozhang Dai, Yang Xiang, Xindi Mo, Zhixing Xiao, Hua Yuan, Jiaxing Wan, Biao Liu, Junliang Yang
Summary: In this study, a CdS@CsPbBr3 core-shell microwire heterojunction was successfully fabricated and utilized for the production of a photodetector. The CdS@CsPbBr3 heterojunction exhibited improved performance parameters compared to a bare CdS photodetector, which can be attributed to the formation of a core-shell structure and the reduction of defect states.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jence T. Mulder, Michael S. Meijer, J. Jasper van Blaaderen, Indy du Fosse, Kellie Jenkinson, Sara Bals, Liberato Manna, Arjan J. Houtepen
Summary: Yb:YLF nanocrystals with an undoped YLF shell can achieve high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and reduce concentration quenching, making them highly promising for various applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Danila Quarta, Stefano Toso, Gabriele Saleh, Rocco Caliandro, Anna Moliterni, Andrea Griesi, Giorgio Divitini, Ivan Infante, Giuseppe Gigli, Cinzia Giannini, Liberato Manna, Carlo Giansante
Summary: We have developed a colloidal synthesis method for bismuth chalcohalide nanocrystals with a hexagonal phase. The structure of these nanocrystals can be described by the Bi13S18X2 (where X = Br and I) model. It was found that the presence of Bi24+ dimers, formed by columns of Bi atoms, and Peierls-type distortions are responsible for the anomalously low band gap and intervalence charge transfer in this material. Our findings and synthetic approach provide fundamental understanding for the use of hexagonal bismuth chalcohalides in diverse applications such as photocatalysis and thermoelectrics.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Aniruddha Ray, Luca De Trizio, Juliette Zito, Ivan Infante, Liberato Manna, Ahmed L. L. Abdelhady
Summary: Remarkable progress has been made in recent years in the development of low-dimensional perovskite-related materials. Various low-dimensional metal halide nanocrystals have been synthesized and investigated for compounds with low toxicity. These nanocrystals crystallize in various structures and dimensionalities, often exhibiting exciting optical properties. The improvement/manipulation of light emission from these nanocrystals and the possible origin of their light emission are discussed in this review, along with comparisons to their bulk counterparts and future research directions.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sarika Kumari, Jose G. Sanchez, Muhammad Imran, Ece Aktas, Dora A. Gonzalez, Liberato Manna, Eugenia Martinez-Ferrero, Emilio Palomares
Summary: This study reports the use of two carbazole-based self-assembled molecules as hole injecting materials in perovskite-based LEDs. The extra phenyl ring in the bridge of these molecules provides improved stability to the devices, surpassing the widely used polymer PTAA. Additionally, the efficiency of the devices is increased due to the structural and electronic characteristics of the self-assembled molecules.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fulvio Bellato, Michele Ferri, Abinaya Annamalai, Mirko Prato, Luca Leoncino, Rosaria Brescia, Luca De Trizio, Liberato Manna
Summary: We present the first colloidal synthesis of NiAs nanocrystals and their performance as electrocatalysts for water splitting reactions. The NiAs nanocrystals exhibit high activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), surpassing the performance of benchmark materials. The study highlights the potential of transition metal arsenides as emerging materials for electrocatalytic applications.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Diana Nelli, Valentina Mastronardi, Rosaria Brescia, Pier Paolo Pompa, Mauro Moglianetti, Riccardo Ferrando
Summary: The growth of pyramidal platinum nanocrystals is caused by the adsorption of hydrogen on {100} facets, which results in a peculiar type of symmetry breaking. The size-dependent adsorption energies of hydrogen atoms on {100} facets hinder the growth of pyramidal shapes only when they are sufficiently large. The absence of pyramidal nanocrystals in experiments without hydrogen confirms the crucial role of hydrogen adsorption.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Finn Babbe, Nicoleta Nicoara, Harvey Guthrey, Nathalie Valle, Omar Ramirez Sanchez, Damien Aureau, Hossam Elanzeery, Deepanjan Sharma, Jose Luis Virtuoso, Jean-Nicolas Audinot, Anastasiya Zelenina, Sevan Gharabeiki, Tom Wirtz, Susanne Siebentritt, Phillip J. Dale, Sascha Sadewasser, Diego Colombara
Summary: This study provides experimental evidence that the grain boundaries of sodium-doped CuInSe2 thin films may undergo reversible oxidation at room temperature, while undoped films may not. The findings are confirmed through various imaging and analysis techniques. These reactions raise new research questions about the role of alkali metal dopants and may lead to new breakthroughs in chalcopyrite solar cells.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marco Pugliese, Riccardo Scarfiello, Carmela Tania Prontera, Roberto Giannuzzi, Giuseppe Valerio Bianco, Giovanni Bruno, Sonia Carallo, Fabrizio Mariano, Antonio Maggiore, Luigi Carbone, Giuseppe Gigli, Vincenzo Maiorano
Summary: Dual-band electrochromic devices are important for managing thermal load and energy consumption in buildings. In this study, a proof of concept of a full dual-band electrochromic device was proposed, which selectively modulates solar light between 300 and 1600 nm. The device achieved dual-band control by utilizing two earth-abundant and non-toxic transition metal oxide nanocrystalline materials with complementary spectral absorption regions. The nanostructured electrodes showed improved performance and scalability, making them a promising technology for energy-efficient buildings.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Diego A. Garzon, Christian Rossi, Ishwor Khatri, Francesco Soggia, Ihsan Caha, Francis Leonard Deepak, Diego Colombara, Sascha Sadewasser
Summary: The formation of Cd-free Zn1-xSnxOy (ZTO) thin film buffer layers for CIGSe solar cells was studied using chemical bath deposition. By modifying the deposition procedure, flatter ZTO films were obtained with inhibited columnar growth. Increasing the concentration of Sn in the chemical bath resulted in a nontrivial increase in the bandgap. Using a 20% Sn concentration, the CIGSe solar cells achieved similar performance to those with a CdS buffer layer, with a maximum efficiency of 10.4% and an average efficiency of 9%.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aarya Prabhakaran, Zhiya Dang, Rohan Dhall, Fabrizio Camerin, Susana Marin-Aguilar, Balaji Dhanabalan, Andrea Castelli, Rosaria Brescia, Liberato Manna, Marjolein Dijkstra, Milena P. P. Arciniegas
Summary: Manipulating nano-objects through heating is an effective approach to modify the structure and optoelectronic properties of semiconducting materials. In this study, temperature-sensitive CsPbBr(3) perovskite nanoplatelets were synthesized and their structural evolution was observed at the nanoscale using in situ heating transmission electron microscopy. The morphological changes, starting from self-assembly into ribbons and ultimately forming randomly dispersed nanosheets on a substrate, were identified and supported by molecular dynamics simulations. The merging paths of the nanoplates within the ribbons were found to be influenced by the random orientation of the initial ribbons and the mobility of ligands, enabling the creation of structures with tunable emission ranging from blue to green.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yong Zuo, Sebastiano Bellani, Gabriele Saleh, Michele Ferri, Dipak V. Shinde, Marilena Isabella Zappia, Joka Buha, Rosaria Brescia, Mirko Prato, Roberta Pascazio, Abinaya Annamalai, Danilo Oliveira de Souza, Luca De Trizio, Ivan Infante, Francesco Bonaccorso, Liberato Manna
Summary: In this study, a hierarchical electrode composed of different species was designed for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The electrode demonstrated high activity and stability in HER, attributed to the fast charge and gas transfer channels provided by vertically aligned Cu nanorods and the regulation of water dissociation and hydrogen adsorption by Cu clusters. Additionally, the alkaline electrolyzer coupled with the proposed cathode and a stainless-steel anode showed stable operation in both continuous and intermittent modes.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yong Zuo, Sebastiano Bellani, Michele Ferri, Gabriele Saleh, Dipak V. Shinde, Marilena Isabella Zappia, Rosaria Brescia, Mirko Prato, Luca De Trizio, Ivan Infante, Francesco Bonaccorso, Liberato Manna
Summary: We have designed a cost-effective and robust cathode and anode that can produce high-quality hydrogen at high current densities. The electrolyzers also have stable and continuous operation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Salvatore Cosseddu, Roberta Pascazio, Carlo Giansante, Liberato Manna, Ivan Infante
Summary: In this paper, classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the locations, binding modes and mobilities of carboxylate ligands on the different facets of CdSe nanocrystals. The results suggest that these features are influenced by the temperature of the system and the coordination number of the surface (Cd and Se) atoms. High ligand mobilities and structural rearrangements are observed with low coordination of Cd atoms, while undercoordinated Se atoms are found to form spontaneously on the nanosecond timescale, potentially playing a role in photoluminescence quenching.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Diego Colombara, Billy J. Stanbery, Giovanna Sozzi
Summary: The commercial attractiveness of Cu(In,Ga) (S,Se)(2) (CIGS) photovoltaics is limited by the research and development gap compared to silicon. Overcoming this gap requires strategic approaches and extensive research and development in both industry and lab scale. However, the technological progress relies on our understanding of diffusion phenomena during and after the absorber growth, particularly in combination with alkali metal doping.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
