Scale-up synthesis of perovskite nanocrystal/cellulose chiral ink toward patterned and circularly polarized luminescence

Abstract Circularly polarized luminescence perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) hold great potential in the field of information encryption, 3D display and spintronics. However, the synthesis of the chiral perovskites is still confronted with various problems, such as cumbersome synthesis process, poor compatibility and limited processability, which impede their further implementation. In this study, a one-step wet-ball-milling method is proposed for the scale-up synthesis (up to 500 mL) of chiral perovskite ink, where the chiral molecule R-/S-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (R-/S-DPEM) are introduced as chiral initiator. Chiral R-/S-DPEM molecules can endow the chirality to perovskite NCs through the strong coupling with perovskite surface. Specifically, ethyl cellulose is incorporated as passivating agents and structural supporting molecules, which can not only passivate the perovskite NCs and improve their stability, but also enable the chiral ink to possess better processability. The obtained ink is compatible with multiple substrates, which can be directly processed into various luminescent patterns by means of screen printing, writing, impregnation, laser engraving, etc. These patterns demonstrate high storage stability, flexibility and water resistance, fulfilling the requirements of a wide range of occasions in the future. This work provides a feasible solution for scalable synthesis of chiral perovskite inks, which offer promising prospects in optical anti-counterfeiting, information encryption and wearable optoelectronic devices.