Low-Temperature, Solution-Based Synthesis of Luminescent Chalcogenide Perovskite BaZrS Nanoparticles.

Chalcogenide perovskites constitute a promising earth-abundant, non-toxic, and robust semiconductor family with the potential to compete with hybrid perovskites as high-quality photovoltaic absorbers. However, a low-temperature, solution-based synthesis route has eluded researchers in this area. Here we report the colloidal synthesis of chalcogenide perovskite BaZrS nanoparticles at 330 °C in organic solvent.

Direct Evidence for Percolation of Immobilized Polymer Layer around Nanoparticles Accounting for Sol-Gel Transition in Fumed Silica Dispersions.

Immobilized polymer fractions have been claimed to be of vital importance for sol-gel transitions generally observed in nanoparticle dispersions but remain a matter of debate regarding mechanism and difficulty for prediction. Here we investigate the immobilized layer structures of trifunctionality polyether polyol (PPG) near the surfaces of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fumed silica (FS) nanoparticles to reveal the role of surface chemistry on the molecular dynamics and sol-gel transitions of the dispersions. Using modulated differential scanning calorimetry, we measure the specific heat capacity during glass transition and the enthalpy during cold-crystallization.