One-Step Extrusion Preparation for Low-Cost Multicolored Carbon Dot Fluorescent Films.

Carbon dots (CDs), an emerging class of environmentally friendly luminescent materials, have been extensively applied in full-color display of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the synthesis of CDs usually requires high pressure, and the conventional preparation of CD-based LED films involves intricate manufacturing techniques. The resulting security risk and high cost restrict the further application of CD-based LEDs. Here, we present a cost-effective method to obtain CD-based LED films via in situ extrusion in a twin-screw extruder. By fine-tuning the extrusion temperature, we created blue-emitting LEDs. The resulting fluorescent films exhibited remarkable stability, retaining 94% fluorescence intensity after 180 days of storage. We also prepared yellow, pure white, and cool white LEDs with malleable shapes, validating the versatility of the in situ extrusion method. More importantly, the manufacturing cost for CD-based films amounts to only about 0.8 RMB/g, which is substantially lower than that of the reported preparation methods. This work offers a cost-effective, safe, and massive approach to preparing photoluminescent LEDs, paving the way for the development of more sustainable and efficient CD-based LEDs.

Thermodynamic Phase Transition of Three-Dimensional Solid Additives Guiding Molecular Assembly for Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

Fine-tuning the thermodynamic self-assembly of molecules via volatile solid additives has emerged to be an effective way to construct high-performance organic solar cells. Here, three-dimensional structured solid molecules have been designed and applied to facilitate the formation of organized molecular assembly in the active layer. By means of systematic theory analyses and film-morphology characterizations based on four solid candidates, we preselected the optimal one, 4-fluoro-N,N-diphenylaniline (FPA), which possesses good volatility and strong charge polarization. The three-dimensional solids can induce molecular packing in active layers via strong intermolecular interactions and subsequently provide sufficient space for the self-reassembly of active layers during the thermodynamic transition process. Benefitting from the optimized morphology with improved charge transport and reduced energy disorder in the FPA-processed devices, high efficiencies of over 19 % were achieved. The strategy of three-dimensional additives inducing ordered self-assembly structure represents a practical approach for rational morphology control in highly efficient devices, contributing to deeper insights into the structural design of efficient volatile solid additives.