Better together: Monolithic halide perovskite@metal-organic framework composites

The instability and limited scalability of halide perovskites hinder their long-term viability in applications as X-ray detectors. Here, we introduce a sol-gel ship-in-bottle approach to produce a monolithic perovskite@metal-organic framework (MOF) composite, combining the properties of the individual building blocks and enhancing density, robustness, and stability. By tuning seed particles below 100 nm, we achieve highly crystalline, dense composites with up to 40% perovskite loading. Structural and optical characterization unveils perovskite nanocrystals forming within MOF mesopores, maximizing stability and preventing degradation, maintaining over 90% photoluminescence and structural integrity after weeks of exposure to humidity, heat, and solvents. Proposed as an innovative class of scintillator, these monolithic perovskite@MOFs attenuate X-rays efficiently and exhibit outstanding stability under high radiation doses equivalent to 110,000 typical chest X-rays, with a radioluminescence lifetime of 10 ns, outperforming commercial scintillators. This approach offers vast potential for developing high-performance, cost-effective, and stable devices for radiation detection and other optoelectronic applications.