Bioinspired perovskite quantum dots microfibers from microfluidics

Abstract

As perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) are performing their outstanding characteristics, incremental efforts have been devoted to such materials. Here, inspired by the spider spinning process, we present novel PeQDs microfibers with tailorable morphologies and functions from a multi-injection microfluidic approach. The microfibers were generated by introducing PeQDs precursors into each barrel of the inner capillary array and mixing them in the spindle middle channel, where the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) dissolved in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) was also injected as their sheath fluid. During this process, the PeQDs were in situ synthesized with the connection of precursor cations and anions in the core fluid; while the PVDF formed solidified microfibers to encapsulate PeQDs with the fast dispersion of DMF into the outer aqueous solution. Thus, the good encapsulation of PeQDs was achieved in PVDF microfibers, which effectively protected them from different hostile environments. Because of the highly tunable spinning processes, the microfibers exhibited controllable diameters and helical geometric structures, and the encapsulated PeQDs could yield adjustable emission peaks. Based on the PeQDs microfibers, we have explored their potential as luminescent materials in barcodes and as flexible photodetectors, which make such microfibers highly versatile for different areas.