Researchers at AMOLF have found a way of turning calcium carbonate structures, such as a sea urchin skeleton, into perovskite materials, by modifying the composition of the material. The team explained that "the experiment involves no more than dripping two liquids over the calcium carbonate structure. The conversion is complete within a couple of minutes. If you shine a UV lamp on the structure, you can see the conversion taking place in front of your eyes: The sea urchin skeleton, which initially appears blue under the lamp, changes into a bright green structure with each drop".

A sand dollar skeleton gradually converting into a light emitting perovskite

The researchers estimate that the perovskite microstructures made in this process result in more stable materials. They therefore state that solar cells made from this material should last longer. "In addition, we can produce perovskite structures in every desired color. This means that the material could also be used for LEDs in various applications, such as screens," says the research team.

Switzerland-based Avantama demonstrated its perovskite quantum dots at Displayweek 2018. QDs are currently used as color down-conversion films to turn the emission of blue LEDs to white light.

Currently used QDs are either Cadmium-based or Indium-based, and Avantama claims that its pQDs outperform both technologies by a wide margin (3X CdSe, 12x InP), which means that using these will enable much more efficient QD-LCDs. Of course pQDs contain lead, but the amount is very small and it is way below the thresholds required by the EU and other countries.