Colloidal Lead Iodide Nanorings

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel colloidal synthesis method for lead iodide nanorings with a non-trivial topology, demonstrating their potential in high-performance photodetectors and enabling scalable production.

Contribution

It presents a new synthesis strategy for lead iodide nanorings, including a mechanism for their formation and potential applications in photodetectors.

Findings

Successful synthesis of lead iodide nanorings with tunable properties

Nanorings exhibit fast response and high gain in photodetectors

Method enables inexpensive large-scale production

Abstract

Colloidal chemistry of nanomaterials experienced a tremendous development in the last decades. In the course of the journey 0D nanoparticles, 1D nanowires, and 2D nanosheets have been synthesized. They have in common to possess a simple topology. We present a colloidal synthesis strategy for lead iodide nanorings, with a non-trivial topology. First, two-dimensional structures were synthesized in nonanoic acid as the sole solvent. Subsequently, they underwent an etching process in the presence of trioctylphosphine, which determines the size of the hole in the ring structure. We propose a mechanism for the formation of lead iodide nanosheets which also explains the etching of the two-dimensional structures starting from the inside, leading to nanorings. In addition, we demonstrate a possible application of the as-prepared nanorings in photodetectors. These devices are characterized by a fast response, high gain values, and a linear relation between photocurrent and incident light power intensity over a large range. The synthesis approach allows for inexpensive large-scale production of nanorings with tunable properties.