Surface Structure of Lecithin-Capped Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals Using Solid-State and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization NMR Spectroscopy.

Inorganic colloidal cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) encapsulated by surface capping ligands exhibit tremendous potential in optoelectronic applications, with their surface structure playing a pivotal role in enhancing their photophysical properties. Soy lecithin, a tightly binding zwitterionic surface-capping ligand, has recently facilitated the high-yield synthesis of stable ultraconcentrated and ultradilute colloids of CsPbX NCs, unlocking a myriad of potential device applications. However, the atomic-level understanding of the ligand-terminated surface structure remains uncertain.

Designer phospholipid capping ligands for soft metal halide nanocrystals.

The success of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) in science and optoelectronics is inextricable from their surfaces. The functionalization of lead halide perovskite NCs poses a formidable challenge because of their structural lability, unlike the well-established covalent ligand capping of conventional semiconductor NCs. We posited that the vast and facile molecular engineering of phospholipids as zwitterionic surfactants can deliver highly customized surface chemistries for metal halide NCs.

On the Mechanism of Alkylammonium Ligands Binding to the Surface of CsPbBr Nanocrystals.

CsPbBr nanocrystals (NCs) suffer from instabilities caused by the dynamic and labile nature of both the inorganic core and the organic-inorganic interface. Surface ligand engineering thus remains an imminent research topic. In this study, classical molecular dynamics simulations with an explicit solvent are used to gain insights into the inherent binding properties of three different alkylammonium ligands-primary dodecylammonium (DA), secondary didodecylammonium (DDA), and quaternary dimethyldi- dodecylammonium (DMDDA).

Attraction between Like-Charged Macroions Mediated by Specific Counterion Configurations.

Attraction between like-charged macroions is fundamental to many processes in biology, chemistry, and physics. It also plays an important role in industrial applications such as ion-extraction processes or catalysis. In this work, we report a novel mechanism by which attraction can be realized between spherical macroions at high ionic strength.

Cluster Crystals Stabilized by Hydrophobic and Electrostatic Interactions.

Cluster crystals are crystalline materials in which each site is occupied by multiple identical particles, atoms, colloids, or polymers. There are two classes of systems that make cluster crystals. One is composed of particles that interact via potentials that are bound at the origin and thus are able to penetrate each other.