Exploring a Stable and Dense 3D Lead Chloride Hybrid with Emission of Self-Trapped Excitons toward X-Ray Scintillation

The exceptional photophysical properties of 3D organic-inorganic lead halide hybrids (OILHs) endow their significant potential for usage in optoelectronics, which has sparked intense research on novel 3D OILHs and associated applications. However, constructing new 3D OILHs based on large organic cations suffers from tough challenges due to the limitation of the Goldschmidt tolerance factor rule, let alone further explorations of their practical applications. Herein, a brand-new 3D lead chloride hybrid, (1M PZ) Pb4Cl center dot H2O (1, 1MPZ = 1-methylpiperazine) is reported, featuring a dense 3D lead chloride framework made of the corner-, edge-, and face-shared lead chloride polyhedra. 1 presents a broadband white light emission with a large Stokes shift and a nanosecond photoluminescence lifetime, which originates from radiative recombination of self-trapped excitons (STEs) induced by the highly distorted structure. Such a reabsorption-free and fast-decayed STEs emission coupling with the dense 3D architecture further enables 1 with effective X-ray scintillation with good sensitivity. Impressively, 1 also shows superior environmental and radiation stability. This work provides a new 3D OILH with appealing luminescence, not only expanding the 3D OILH family but also inspiring the exploitation of their optoelectronic applications.

Automated summary

This study reports a brand-new 3D lead chloride hybrid with a dense structure and broad white light emission. The structure shows effective X-ray scintillation and superior environmental and radiation stability. This research expands the family of 3D lead chloride hybrids and inspires the development of their optoelectronic applications.