A analysis group led by Professors Younger-Ki Kim and Yong-Younger Noh at POSTECH has developed a groundbreaking technique for synthesizing perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs), a next-generation semiconductor materials, in a extra uniform and environment friendly method. This research is anticipated to function a key breakthrough in overcoming the complexities of standard synthesis strategies and accelerating the commercialization of varied optoelectronic units, corresponding to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photo voltaic cells, that make the most of nanocrystals.
This research was performed by Professor Younger-Ki Kim and Professor Yong-Younger Noh from the Division of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH, together with Ph.D. candidate Jun-Hyung Im, Dr. Myeonggeun Han (Samsung Electronics), and Dr. Jisoo Hong (Princeton College). The analysis was just lately revealed in ‘ACS Nano‘, a global journal within the area of nanotechnology.
PNCs have nice potential in next-generation photo voltaic cells and high-efficiency shows, as their potential to soak up and emit gentle may be exactly managed primarily based on particle measurement and form by way of the ‘quantum confinement impact.’ Nonetheless, standard strategies used to synthesize PNCs corresponding to ‘hot-injection’ and ‘ligand-assisted reprecipitation (LARP)’ have limitations in producing uniformly sized and formed particles resulting from excessive synthesis temperatures and sophisticated experimental circumstances. Consequently, further processing steps have been required to acquire particles with the specified properties, which in flip lowered productiveness and restricted industrial functions.
The POSTECH analysis group has developed a synthesis technique that exactly controls the scale and form of PNCs utilizing a ‘liquid crystal(LC)’ as an antisolvent within the LARP technique. LC is an intermediate part of matter that possesses each liquid-like fluidity and crystal-like long-range molecular ordering. In LC phases, molecules are aligned to a most well-liked orientation (outlined by the director), which results in elasticity. Due to this fact, when an exterior pressure is utilized to an LC medium, LC molecules are reoriented, producing appreciable elastic strains. Impressed by this property, the group exactly managed the expansion of PNCs by merely changing the antisolvent within the standard LARP technique with LC whereas sustaining the opposite synthesis circumstances. The elastic strains of LCs restricted the expansion of PNCs upon reaching the extrapolation size (ξ) of LCs, enabling mass manufacturing of uniformly sized PNCs with out the necessity for extra purification processes.
The analysis group additionally found that the interplay between ligands binding to the floor of PNCs and LC molecules performs a vital position in lowering floor defects. Since LC molecules have a protracted, rod-like construction, ligands may be densely organized between them. Consequently, ligands bind extra densely to the floor throughout nanocrystals formation, thereby minimizing floor defects and enhancing luminescence properties.
Professor Younger-Ki Kim defined, “The synthesis technique developed by our analysis group is very suitable with current synthesis methods, corresponding to ligand trade and microfluidic synthesis, and can improve the efficiency of varied optoelectronic units, together with LEDs, photo voltaic cells, lasers, and photodetectors.” He additionally acknowledged, “This expertise permits the large-scale manufacturing of uniform, high-performance nanocrystals at room temperature, and we anticipate it can assist speed up the commercialization of nanocrystal-based optoelectronic units.”
This analysis was supported by the Primary Analysis Program (Hanwoomul-Phagi Primary Analysis) and the Pioneer Program for Promising Future Convergence Expertise of the Nationwide Analysis Basis of Korea (NRF).
