Stabilizing CsPbBr₃ perovskite quantum dots on zirconium phosphate nanosheets through an ion exchange/surface adsorption strategy

[Graphical abstract presents]

All-inorganic perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) being characterized by high photoluminescence quantum yield, tunable emission colors and high color purity attract enormous attention in optoelectronic fields, especially as highly efficient narrow-band phosphors for lighting and next-generation display devices. However, poor stability seriously impedes their practical applications. Herein, we proposed an ion exchange/surface adsorption strategy to realize the room-temperature synthesis and stabilization of CsPbBr₃ PQDs on α-Zr(HPO₄)₂·H₂O (zirconium phosphate, α-ZrP) nanosheets. The inherent characteristics of the α-ZrP nanosheets including high Pb²⁺ adsorptivity and good Cs⁺ ion exchange capability promoted the heterogeneous nucleation-growth and effective anchoring of CsPbBr₃ PQDs on α-ZrP surfaces. Consequently, the synthesized α-ZrP/CsPbBr₃ composite exhibited superior green-emitting performance and significantly enhanced humidity stability and thermal stability in comparison to pure PQDs and many other matrix-protected PQDs. All these favorable characteristics listed above endowed the α-ZrP/CsPbBr₃ composite with good optical properties for lighting and displays. This work opens up a new way to use inorganic nanomaterials to stabilize all-inorganic PQDs and can promote the scalable synthesis of PQDs with long-term stability for optoelectronic devices.