Lead‐Free,Air‐Stable All‐Inorganic Cesium Bismuth Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Lead‐based perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have outstanding optical properties and cheap synthesis conferring them a tremendous potential in the field of optoelectronic devices. However, two critical problems are still unresolved and hindering their commercial applications: one is the fact of being lead‐based and the other is the poor stability. Lead‐free all‐inorganic perovskite Cs₃Bi₂X₉ (X=Cl, Br, I) NCs are synthesized with emission wavelength ranging from 400 to 560 nm synthesized by a facile room temperature reaction. The ligand‐free Cs₃Bi₂Br₉ NCs exhibit blue emission with photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQE) about 0.2 %. The PLQE can be increased to 4.5 % when extra surfactant (oleic acid) is added during the synthesis processes. This improvement stems from passivation of the fast trapping process (2–20 ps). Notably, the trap states can also be passivated under humid conditions, and the NCs exhibited high stability towards air exposure exceeding 30 days.     

Recent Advances and Future Perspectives of Lead-Free Halide Perovskites for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

It is still challenging to design and develop the state-of-the-art photocatalysts toward CO₂ photoreduction. Enormous researchers have focused on the halide perovskites in the photocatalytic field for CO₂ photoreduction, due to their excellent optical and physical properties. The toxicity of lead-based halide perovskites prevents their large-scale applications in photocatalytic fields. In consequence, lead-free halide perovskites (LFHPs) without the toxicity become the promising alternatives in the photocatalytic application for CO₂ photoreduction. In recent years, the rapid advances of LFHPs have offer new chances for the photocatalytic CO₂ reduction of LFHPs. In this review, we summarize not only the structures and properties of A₂BX₆, A₂B(I)B(III)X₆, and A₃B₂X₉-type LFHPs but also their recent progresses on the photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. Furthermore, we also point out the opportunities and perspectives to research LFHPs photocatalysts for CO₂ photoreduction in the future.     

Beyond Perovskite Solar Cells: Tellurium Iodide as a Promising Light‐Absorbing Material for Solution‐Processed Photovoltaic Application

Searching new light‐absorbing materials to replace toxic lead halide in solar cells is very important and highly desirable. In this research, we firstly demonstrated that tellurium iodide (TeI₄) could be used as a light‐absorbing material in solar cells due to its suitable optical band gap and the active lone‐pair electron orbital in Te⁴⁺. The best power conversion efficiency (PCE=3.56%) was achieved with a concentration of 0.9 M TeI₄ in DMF:DMSO (4 : 1, v,v) without any heat treatment or antisolvent dripping. Our study indicates the promising potential of TeI₄ for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.     

Lights and Shadows of DMSO as Solvent for Tin Halide Perovskites

In 2020 dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the ever-present solvent for tin halide perovskites, was identified as an oxidant for Sn^II. Nonetheless, alternatives are lacking and few efforts have been devoted to replacing it. To understand this trend it is indispensable to learn the importance of DMSO on the development of tin halide perovskites. Its unique properties have allowed processing compact thin-films to be integrated into tin perovskite solar cells. Creative approaches for controlling the perovskite crystallization or increasing its stability to oxidation have been developed relying on DMSO-based inks. However, increasingly sophisticated strategies appear to lead the field to a plateau of power conversion efficiency in the range of 10–15 %. And, while DMSO-based formulations have performed in encouraging means so far, we should also start considering their potential limitations. In this concept article, we discuss the benefits and limitations of DMSO-based tin perovskite processing.     

高温无铅BaTiO_3-(Bi_(1/2)Na_(1/2))TiO_3正温度系数电阻陶瓷阻抗和介电谱分析

采用固相反应法制备了Y2O3施主掺杂的92 mol%BaTiO3-8 mol%(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3(BBNT8)高温无铅正温度系数电阻(positive temperature coe?cient resistivity,PTCR)陶瓷.利用透射电镜观察材料的显微结构,发现陶瓷的显微结构主要包括晶粒和晶界两部分,观察不到明显的壳层结构.进一步利用交流阻抗谱研究了陶瓷的宏观电学性能,发现陶瓷的总电阻是晶粒和晶界两部分的贡献,而晶粒电阻很小,在居里温度以上变化不大,材料的PTCR效应主要是晶界部分的贡献.当温度高于居里温度时,随着温度的升高,晶界介电常数逐渐减小,导致势垒增加,晶界电阻增大,从而产生正温度系数效应.最后,通过测试材料的介电频谱特性,研究计算了陶瓷的室温电阻率.     

Synthesis and physical properties of Ca- and Ta-modified (K,Na)NbO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Polycrystalline samples of lead-free Ca and Ta co-substituted potassium sodium niobate (K_0.5Na_0.5NbO_3, KNN) ceramics have been prepared by solid state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction showed formation of a single-phase perovskite structure with orthorhombic symmetry. Substitution inhibits the grain growth, improves densification and decreases the ferro-paraelectric phase transition temperature. Temperature dependent dielectric permittivity studies demonstrate significant decrease in peak-permittivity values in the substituted samples. Bulk longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient is significantly enhanced, up to ～155 pC/N for (K_0.48Na_0.48Ca_0.02)(Nb_0.85Ta_0.15O₃) as compared to 95 pC/N for pristine KNN ceramic. Local piezoelectric properties have been observed by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) technique. Distinct piezocontrast was studied in both vertical and in-plane modes of PFM for all samples. The samples exhibit self-polarization effect in the unpoled state and effective local vertical piezoelectric coefficient was the largest in Ca and Ta co-substituted sample whereas the in-plane piezoelectric coefficient was maximum for Ca-substituted KNN sample. These studies are important for using substituted lead free KNN materials in various piezoelectric applications.     

水热法合成K0.5Bi0.5TiO3纳米陶瓷粉体

K_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃(KBT)nanocrystalline particles were hydrothermally synthesized from Bi(NO₃)₃·5H₂O, TiO₂ and KOH. The crystal phase, chemical composition and microstructure were characterized by XRD, XRF, Raman scattering spectroscopy and TEM. The results indicated that the products were pure perovskite structured K_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ with chemical stoichiometry and perovskite structure. The TEM observation revealed that the particles possessed a feature of cubic shape and a nano-scale of about 40 nm. The KBT ceramics sintered at 1 040 ℃ from hydrothermal powders show higher density and better electric properties than that prepared by a solid-state reaction method.