Surface polarization-induced emission and stability enhancement of CsPbX3 nanocrystals

Recently, the polarization effect has been receiving tremendous attention, as it can result in improved stability and charge transfer efficiency of metal-halide perovskites (MHPs). However, realizing the polarization effect on CsPbX3 NCs still remains a challenge. Here, metal ions with small radii (such as Mg2+, Li+, Ni2+, etc.) are introduced on the surface of CsPbX3 NCs, which facilitate the arising of electric dipole and surface polarization. The surface polarization effect promotes redistribution of the surface electron density, leading to reinforced surface ligand bonding, reduced surface defects, near unity photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), and enhanced stability. Moreover, further introduction of hydroiodic acid results in the in situ formation of tert-butyl iodide (TBI), which facilitates the successful synthesis of pure iodine-based CsPbI3 NCs with high PLQY (95.3%) and stability under ambient conditions. The results of this work provide sufficient evidence to exhibit the crucial role of the surface polarization effect, which promotes the synthesis of high-quality MHPs and their applications in the fields of optoelectronic devices.