A 3D lead chloride hybrid exhibits self-trapped emission and exceptional stability

Abstract

The broadband emissions related to self-trapped excitons (STEs) have attracted considerable attention due to their potential wide application in optoelectronics. Yet, such materials require appropriate band gaps, which are significantly related to the structural geometry. Herein, a new 3D lead chloride hybrid, (H₂MPP)₂Pb₅Cl₁₄, where H₂MPP = 1-methylpiperidinium-4-amine, consisting of face, corner and edge-sharing lead chloride polyhedra, has been successfully isolated. Interestingly, in addition to its semiconducting properties, (H₂MPP)₂Pb₅Cl₁₄ exhibits broadband white-red light emission with a large Stokes shift, a high color rendering index, and a nanosecond lifetime, which is mainly attributed to the STE mechanism. Moreover, (H₂MPP)₂Pb₅Cl₁₄ exhibits higher stability under moisture, UV light and heat.