Durable Perovskite UV Sensor Based on Engineered Size-Tunable Polydimethylsiloxane Microparticles Using a Facile...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microparticles offer potential for optical applications.
• Developing microparticles with tunable sizes is crucial for advanced sensor fabrication.
• Perovskite quantum dots show promise for UV sensing but often lack environmental stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate size-tunable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microparticles using microfluidics.
• To develop environmentally durable and water-resistant perovskite-based UV sensors.
• To assess the performance of these sensors for leak detection applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of size-tunable PDMS microparticles via coflowing capillary microfluidics.
• Optimization of continuous and aqueous phase compositions for monodisperse particle generation.
• Integration of methylammonium lead bromide (CH3NH3PbBr3) perovskite quantum dots into PDMS microparticles to create UV sensors.

Main Results:

• Achieved monodisperse PDMS microparticles by controlling continuous phase viscosity and flow rate ratio.
• Demonstrated water-resistant UV sensors due to PDMS hydrophobicity, embedding perovskite quantum dots.
• Observed a high photoluminescence quantum yield of 75% in the fabricated UV sensors.

Conclusions:

• Size-tunable PDMS microparticles can be reliably fabricated using microfluidic techniques.
• Perovskite-based UV sensors incorporating PDMS microparticles exhibit enhanced durability and water resistance.
• These robust UV sensors are suitable for reusable leak detection in various fluidic systems.