Insights into mechanism of size-controlled synthesis of CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite quantum dots and large nanoparticles with tunable optical properties

Abstract There is a common phenomenon in the preparation of perovskite quantum dots (QDs) by reprecipitation method that large particles were always produced with desired QDs. Understanding the fabrication mechanism can contribute to improve this phenomenon. Herein, we demonstrate a two-step strategy for synthesis of perovskite QDs and large nanoparticles (LNPs), where the growth of QDs and LNPs involves two possible pathways, the quick intercalation reaction process and the dissolution-recrystallization process. Following two pathways, we have created QDs with high photoluminescence quantum yields (ca. 46–71%), tunable size (ca. 3.2–5.4 nm) and LNPs with tunable size from 25 to 300 nm, where their emission wavelength can be tuned from 500 nm to 534 nm. Importantly, based on the comprehensive insight into the formation mechanism, we have achieved the conversion from LNPs to QDs partly through adding surfactants properly, which is expected to pave the way for the development of pure production of perovskite QDs.