Near‐Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Efficiency for All CsPbX3 (X=Cl,Br, and I) Perovskite Nanocrystals: A Generic Synthesis Approach

In a generic synthesis approach, all three CsPbX₃ (X=Cl, Br and I) perovskite nanocrystals having near unity quantum yields is reported. This has been achieved by injecting the desired amount of preformed alkylammonium halide salts which acted as a dual source providing halide ions and the capping agent to an equimolar amount of non‐halide Pb and Cs precursors in a reaction flask at an optimized reaction temperature. The composition sensitivity of Pb to Cs ratio, high temperature reaction, and injection of ammonium halide remained the key parameters for obtaining the high quantum yields. Details of the reaction process, use of different reagents and setting up the reaction parameters are reported.     

Completely Amine-Free Open-Atmospheric Synthesis of High-Quality Cesium Lead Bromide (CsPbBr3) Perovskite Nanocrystals

Cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) CsPbX₃ (X=Cl, Br, and I) have been prominent materials in the last few years due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) for light-emitting diodes and other significant applications in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. In colloidal CsPbX₃ synthesis, the most commonly used ligands are oleic acid and oleylamine. The latter plays an important role in surface passivation but may also be responsible for poor colloidal stability as a result of facile proton exchange leading to the formation of labile oleylammonium halide, which pulls halide ions out of the NC surface. Herein, a facile, efficient, completely amine-free synthesis of cesium lead bromide perovskite nanocrystals using hydrobromic acid as halide source and tri-n-octylphosphane as ligand under open-atmospheric conditions is demonstrated. Hydrobromic acid serves as labile source of bromide ion, and thus this three-precursor approach (separate precursors for Cs, Pb, Br) gives more control than a conventional single-source precursor for Pb and Br (PbBr₂). The use of HBr paved the way to eliminate oleylamine, and thus the formation of labile oleylammonium halide can be completely excluded. Various Cs:Pb:Br molar ratios were studied and optimum conditions for making very stable CsPbBr₃ NCs with high PLQY were found. These completely amine-free CsPbBr₃ perovskite NCs synthesized under bromine-rich conditions exhibit good stability and durability for more than three months in the form of colloidal solutions and films, respectively. Furthermore, stable tunable emission across a wide spectral range through anion exchange was demonstrated. More importantly, this work reports open-atmosphere-stable CsPbBr₃ NCs films exhibiting strong PL, which can be further used for optoelectronic device applications.     

White CsPbBr3: Characterizing the One-Dimensional Cesium Lead Bromide Polymorph

Inorganic lead halide perovskites have gained immense scientific interest for optoelectronic applications. In this work, we present a one-dimensional polymorph of cesium lead bromide (δ-CsPbBr₃) synthesized through a simple anion-exchange reaction, wherein distorted edge-sharing PbBr₆ octahedra form 1D chains isolated by Cs ions. δ-CsPbBr₃ was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, ²⁰⁷Pb and ¹³³Cs solid-state NMR, and by optical emission and absorption spectroscopies. This non-perovskite material irreversibly transforms into the well-known three-dimensional perovskite phase (γ-CsPbBr₃) upon heating to above 151 °C. The indirect bandgap was determined by absorption measurements and calculation to be 2.9 eV. δ-CsPbBr₃ exhibits broadband yellow photoluminescence with a quantum yield of 3.2 %±0.2 % at room temperature and 95 %±5 % at 77 K, and this emission is attributed to the recombination of self-trapped excitons. This study emphasizes that the metastable δ-CsPbBr₃ may be a persistent, concomitant phase in Cs−Pb-Br-containing materials systems, such as those used in solar cells and LEDs, and it showcases the characterization tools used for its detection.     

Efficient halogenation of unsaturated organoaluminum compounds with sulfonyl halides

Alkenylalumanes prepared by carbo-or cycloalumination of substituted acetylenes reacted with an equivalent amount of sulfonyl halide (MsCl, TsCl, PhSO₂Cl, MsBr) in methylene chloride or hexane at room temperature to produce alkenyl halides in high yields. Electron-donor solvents such as diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran inhibited the halogenation process. β-Substituted vinylalumanes generated by hydroalumination of substituted acetylenes failed to react with sulfonyl halides.     

A novel one-pot synthesis of 2-alkylthio-1,3,4-oxadiazoles in water

A facile and one-pot protocol for the synthesis of 2-alkylthio-1,3,4-oxadiazoles is reported. This green method relies on the reaction of acid hydrazides with CS₂ and an alkyl halide. The reaction is carried out under mild and environmentally friendly procedure in water with high to excellent yields. Thirteen different valuable alkylthio-1,3,4-oxadiazoles are synthesized from cheap and easily available CS₂ with this method. This is the first report for the synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles in water.     

Low‐Bandgap Cs4CuSb2Cl12 Layered Double Perovskite: Synthesis,Reversible Thermal Changes,and Magnetic Interaction

Double perovskites (DPs) with a generic formula A₂M′(I)M^IIIX₆ (A and M are metal ions, and X=Cl, Br, I) are now being explored as potential alternatives to Pb‐halide perovskites for solar cells and other optoelectronic applications. However, these DPs typically suffer from wide (≈3 eV) and/or indirect band gaps. In 2017, a new structural variety, namely layered halide DP Cs₄CuSb₂Cl₁₂ (CCSC) with bivalent Cu^II ion in the place of M′(I) was reported, which exhibit a band gap of approximately 1 eV. Here, we report a mechanochemical synthesis of CCSC, its thermal and chemical stability, and magnetic response of Cu^II d⁹ electrons controlling the optoelectronic properties. A simple grinding of precursor salts at ambient conditions provides a stable and scalable product. CCSC is stable in water/acetone solvent mixtures (≈30 % water) and many other polar solvents unlike Pb‐halide perovskites. It decomposes to Cs₃Sb₂Cl₉, Cs₂CuCl₄, and SbCl₃ at 210 °C, but the reaction can be reversed back to produce CCSC at lower temperatures and high humidity. A long‐range magnetic ordering is observed in CCSC even at room temperature. The role of such magnetic ordering in controlling the dispersion of the conduction band, and therefore, controlling the electronic and optoelectronic properties of CCSC has been discussed.     

Exploring the Effects of Ionic Defects on the Stability of CsPbI3 with a Deep Learning Potential

Inorganic metal halide perovskites, such as CsPbI₃, have recently drawn extensive attention due to their excellent optical properties and high photoelectric efficiencies. However, the structural instability originating from inherent ionic defects leads to a sharp drop in the photoelectric efficiency, which significantly limits their applications in solar cells. The instability induced by ionic defects remains unresolved due to its complicated reaction process. Herein, to explore the effects of ionic defects on stability, we develop a deep learning potential for a CsPbI₃ ternary system based upon density functional theory (DFT) calculated data for large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. By exploring 2.4 million configurations, of which 7,730 structures are used for the training set, the deep learning potential shows an accuracy approaching DFT-level. Furthermore, MD simulations with a 5,000-atom system and a one nanosecond timeframe are performed to explore the effects of bulk and surface defects on the stability of CsPbI₃. This deep learning potential based MD simulation provides solid evidence together with the derived radial distribution functions, simulated diffraction of X-rays, instability temperature, molecular trajectory, and coordination number for revealing the instability mechanism of CsPbI₃. Among bulk defects, Cs defects have the most significant influence on the stability of CsPbI₃ with a defect tolerance concentration of 0.32 %, followed by Pb and I defects. With regards to surface defects, Cs defects have the largest impact on the stability of CsPbI₃ when the defect concentration is less than 15 %, whereas Pb defects act play a dominant role for defect concentrations exceeding 20 %. Most importantly, this machine-learning-based MD simulation strategy provides a new avenue to explore the ionic defect effects on the stability of perovskite-like materials, laying a theoretical foundation for the design of stable perovskite materials.     

Top‐Down Fabrication of Stable Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals by Employing a Mixture of Ligands as Coordinating Solvents

A top‐down method is demonstrated for the fabrication of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite nanocrystals, employing a mixture of ligands oleic acid and oleylamine as coordinating solvents. This approach avoids the use of any polar solvents, skips multiple reaction steps by employing a simple ultrasonic treatment of the perovskite precursors, and yields rather monodisperse blue‐, green‐, and red‐emitting methylammonium lead halide nanocrystals with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (up to 72 % for the green‐emitting nanocrystals) and remarkably improved stability. After discussing all relevant reaction parameters, the green‐emitting CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ nanocrystals are employed as a component of down‐conversion white‐light‐emitting devices_.     

Facile Synthesis of Unsolvated Alkali Metal Octahydrotriborate Salts MB3H8 (M=K,Rb, and Cs), Mechanisms of Formation,and the Crystal Structure of KB3H8

A facile synthesis of heavy alkali metal octahydrotriborates (MB₃H₈; M=K, Rb, and Cs) has been developed. It is simply based on reactions of the pure alkali metals with THF?BH₃, does not require the use of electron carriers or the addition of other reaction media such as mercury, silica gel, or inert salts as for previous procedures, and delivers the desired products at room temperature in very high yields. However, no reactions were observed when pure Li or Na was used. The reaction mechanisms for the heavy alkali metals were investigated both experimentally and computationally. The low sublimation energies of K, Rb, and Cs were found to be key for initiation of the reactions. The syntheses can be carried out at room temperature because all of the elementary reaction steps have low energy barriers, whereas reactions of LiBH₄/NaBH₄ with THF?BH₃ have to be carried out under reflux. The high stability and solubility of KB₃H₈ were examined, and a crystal structure thereof was obtained for the first time.     

Facile Synthesis of Unsolvated Alkali Metal Octahydrotriborate Salts MB3H8 (M=K,Rb, and Cs), Mechanisms of Formation,and the Crystal Structure of KB3H8

A facile synthesis of heavy alkali metal octahydrotriborates (MB₃H₈; M=K, Rb, and Cs) has been developed. It is simply based on reactions of the pure alkali metals with THF?BH₃, does not require the use of electron carriers or the addition of other reaction media such as mercury, silica gel, or inert salts as for previous procedures, and delivers the desired products at room temperature in very high yields. However, no reactions were observed when pure Li or Na was used. The reaction mechanisms for the heavy alkali metals were investigated both experimentally and computationally. The low sublimation energies of K, Rb, and Cs were found to be key for initiation of the reactions. The syntheses can be carried out at room temperature because all of the elementary reaction steps have low energy barriers, whereas reactions of LiBH₄/NaBH₄ with THF?BH₃ have to be carried out under reflux. The high stability and solubility of KB₃H₈ were examined, and a crystal structure thereof was obtained for the first time.     

Organometal halide perovskite quantum dots: synthesis,optical properties,and display applications

In recent two years, organometal halide perovskites quantum dots are emerging as a new member of the nanocrystals family. From the chemical point of view, these perovskites quantum dots can be synthesized either by classical hot-injection technique for inorganic semiconductor quantum dots or the reprecipitation synthesis at room temperature for organic nanocrystals. From a physical point of view, the observed large exciton binding energy, well self-passivated surface, as well as the enhanced nonlinear properties have been of great interest for fundamental study. From the application point of view, these perovskites quantum dots exhibit high photoluminescence quantum yields, wide wavelength tunability and ultra-narrow band emissions, the combination of these superior optical properties and low cost fabrication makes them to be suitable candidates for display technology. In this short review, we introduce the synthesis, optical properties, the prototype light-emitting devices, and the current important research tasks of halide perovsktie quantum dots, with an emphasis on CH₃NH₃PbX₃ (X=Cl, Br, I) quantum dots that developed in our group.     

A Melt-Quenched Luminescent Glass of an Organic–Inorganic Manganese Halide as a Large-Area Scintillator for Radiation Detection

Glass is a group of materials with appealing qualities, including simplicity in fabrication, durability, and high transparency, and they play a crucial role in the optics field. In this paper, a new organic–inorganic metal halide luminescent glass exhibiting >78 % transmittance at 506–800 nm range together with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 28.5 % is reported through a low-temperature melt-quenching approach of pre-synthesized (HTPP)₂MnBr₄ (HTPP=hexyltriphenylphosphonium) single crystal. Temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction, polarizing microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations were combined to investigate the glass-crystal interconversion process, revealing the disordered nature of the glassy state. Benefiting from the transparent nature, (HTPP)₂MnBr₄ glass yields an outstanding spatial resolution of 10 lp mm⁻¹ for X-ray imaging. The superb optical properties and facility of large-scale fabrication distinguish the organic–inorganic metal halide glass as a highly promising class of materials for optical devices.     

Cp2TiCl2-Catalyzed Grignard exchange reactions with acetylenes. A convenient method for preparation of E-alkenyl Grignard reagents

Disubstituted acetylenes react with isobutylmagnesium halide in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cp₂TiCl₂ in ether to afford E-alkenyl Grignard reagents selectively and in almost quantitative yields. The regiochemistry of this hydromagnesation reaction is high for alkylarylacetylenes and silylacetylenes giving E-ArC(MgBr)CHR from alkylarylacetylenes, E-ArC(MgBr)CH(SiMe₃) from arylsilylacetylenes, and ECHRC(MgBr)(SiMe₃) from alkylsilylacetylenes, respectively. Thanks to the high reactivity of the Grignard reagent, the present reaction offers a novel, selective and operationally simple route for preparation of trisubstituted olefins.     

Reactivity of mixed organozinc and mixed organocopper reagents: 6. Nickel-catalyzed coupling of methylarylzincs with primary alkyl halides; an atom-economic aryl-alkyl coupling

A nickel-catalyzed process for the cross-coupling of mixed arylzincs and primary alkyl halides has been developed. The reaction of a methylarylzinc with a primary alkyl halide in THF in the presence of NiCl₂/PPh₃ takes place with selective aryl transfer at room temperature in moderate yields. This protocol provides an atom-economic alternative to aryl-primary alkyl coupling using diarylzincs.     

Facile low-temperature solid-state synthesis of efficient blue-emitting Cs3Cu2I5 powder phosphors for solid-state lighting

The discovery of new environmentally friendly luminescent materials with high photoluminescence quantum yield and long-term stability is critical for future solid-state lighting and displays applications. Although lead halide perovskite materials with excellent optical properties have been extensively investigated in recent years because they hold tremendous promise in optoelectronic devices, the toxicity of lead and poor air-stability still hinder their commercial applications. Moreover, while substantial work has been done on three-dimensional (3D) perovskite halides, the zero-dimensional (0D) halide emitters with bright luminescence remain elusive. Herein we report a facile solid-state reaction method to prepare an efficient lead-free all-inorganic halide material with 0D structure, Cs₃Cu₂I₅, with photoluminescence quantum yield up to 80%. Under ultraviolet excitation at 313 nm, the Cs₃Cu₂I₅ powder phosphors show a strong blue photoluminescence emission with peak at 445 nm and CIE color coordinates of (0.1486, 0.0873). Notably, Cs₃Cu₂I₅ exhibits good color stability at high temperatures and outstanding stability towards air exposure exceeding one month (30 days). These findings not only open up a door for the development of promising highly emissive low-dimensional halide materials for lighting and displays, but also offer a new scalable approach for the potential mass production of halide emitters.     

Activation of nitrogen for organic synthesis

Nitrogen fixation using transition metals is a fascinating process. We have already reported the incorporation of molecular nitrogen into organic compounds using a titanium-nitrogen complex reported by Yamamoto. A novel titanium-catalyzed nitrogenation procedure was developed using TiCl₄ in the presence of an excess amount of Li and TMSCl. One atm pressure of nitrogen gas can be used in this reaction, and the reaction proceeds at room temperature. The procedure is very simple: a THF solution of TiCl₄ or Ti(OiPr)₄, Li, and TMSCl is stirred under an atmosphere of nitrogen at room temperature overnight to give titanium-nitrogen complexes. Although the structures of the titanium-nitrogen complexes have not been determined yet, the complexes are thought to consist of N(TMS)₃, TiX₂N(TMS)₂ and XTiNTMS. To this solution was added a compound having a keto-carbonyl group and the solution was refluxed overnight to give heterocycles. Indole, quinoline, pyrrole, pyrrolizine, indolizine derivatives and lactams could be synthesized from molecular nitrogen in good to moderate yields by a one-pot reaction. Furthermore, nitrogen in an atmosphere could be fixed using this nitrogen fixation method. pumiliotoxin C and lycopodine could be synthesized from nitrogen in air as a nitrogen source. Transmetalation of nitrogen on a titanium-nitrogen complex to a palladium complex could be realized, and aniline, benzamide, allylamide and allylamine derivatives could be synthesized from titanium-nitrogen complexes, a palladium catalyst and the corresponding aryl or allyl halide in the absence or in the presence of carbon monoxide.     

Photochemical decay of butynal (H3CCCCHO) in the gas phase following S1(nπ*) ← S0 excitation

After excitation into the S₁(nπ*) ← absorption, butynal decomposes into CO and propyne (H₃CCCH). Emission lifetimes, photoproduct quantum yields, and phosphorescence quantum yields were measured in the pressure range 0.25–2 Torr at room temperature using excitation energies between 26620 (0-0 transition) and 33300 cm^?1. Based on these results and on those of the propynal (HCCCHO) dynamics previously reported. a photodissociation mechanism for butynal is proposed which features dissociation from the hot S₀ ground state by a concerted reaction.     

FT-Raman, FT-IR and NMR spectra, vibrational assignments and density functional studies of 1,3-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)-2-thiapropane ligand and its Zn(II) halide complexes

1,3-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)-2-thiapropane (L) ligand and its zinc halide ZnX₂ (X = Cl, Br, I) complexes have been synthesized. The compounds were characterized using the elemental analysis, molar conductivity, FT-Raman, FT-IR (mid i.r., far i.r.), ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, and quantum chemical calculations performed with Gaussian 03 package program set. The optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies of the ligand and [Zn(L)Cl₂] complex were calculated using the DFT/B3LYP method with a 6–31g(d) basis set. The geometry optimization of [Zn(L)Cl₂] yields a slightly distorted tetrahedral environment around Zn ion, while the molecule clearly reveals the Cs symmetry. The molar conductivity data reveals that the complexes are neutral. The ligand is bidentate, via two of the imine nitrogen atoms in the bis-imidazole ring units, and together with the monodentate coordination of the two halides to the metal centre.     

The preparation of α,α-difluoropropargylphosphonates

The organometallic reagent, (EtO)₂P(O)CF₂ZnBr, reacts with 1-alkynyl halides (halide=Br, I) in the presence of Cu(I)Br to give good yields of α,α-difluoropropargylphosphonates via a one pot reaction.     

Intrinsic Broadband White‐Light Emission from Ultrastable,Cationic Lead Halide Layered Materials

We report a family of cationic lead halide layered materials, formulated as [Pb₂X₂]²⁺[⁻O₂C(CH)₂CO₂⁻] (X=F, Cl, Br), exhibiting pronounced broadband white‐light emission in bulk form. These well‐defined PbX‐based structures achieve an external quantum efficiency as high as 11.8 %, which is comparable to the highest reported value (ca.9 %) for broadband phosphors based on layered organolead halide perovskites. More importantly, our cationic materials are ultrastable lead halide materials, which overcome the air/moisture‐sensitivity problems of lead perovskites. In contrast to the perovskites and other bulk emitters, the white‐light emission intensity of our materials remains undiminished after continuous UV irradiation for 30 days under atmospheric conditions (ca.60 % relative humidity). Our mechanistic studies confirm that the broadband emission is ascribed to short‐range electron‐phonon coupling in the strongly deformable lattice and generated self‐trapped carriers.