Halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising solution-processed emitters for low-cost optoelectronics and photonics. Doping adds a degree of freedom for their design and enables us to fully decouple their absorption and emission functions. This is paramount for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) that enable fabrication of electrode-less solar windows for building-integrated photovoltaic applications. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of manganese-doped CsPbCl₃ NCs as reabsorption-free emitters for large-area LSCs. Light propagation measurements and Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the dopant emission is unaffected by reabsorption. Nanocomposite LSCs were fabricated via mass copolymerization of acrylate monomers, ensuring thermal and mechanical stability and optimal compatibility of the NCs, with fully preserved emission efficiency. As a result, perovskite LSCs behave closely to ideal devices, in which all portions of the illuminated area contribute equally to the total optical power. These results demonstrate the potential of doped perovskite NCs for LSCs, as well as for other photonic technologies relying on low-attenuation long-range optical wave guiding.

Silica–styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) nanocomposites were prepared by using shape-controlled spherical and rod-like silica nanoparticles (NPs) with different aspect ratios (AR = 1–5), obtained by a sol–gel route assisted by a structure directing agent. The nanocomposites were used as models to study the influence of the particle shape on the formation of nanoscale immobilized rubber at the silica-rubber interface and its effect on the dynamic-mechanical behavior. TEM and AFM tapping mode analyses of nanocomposites demonstrated that the silica particles are surrounded by a rubber layer immobilized at the particle surface. The spherical filler showed small contact zones between neighboring particles in contact with thin rubber layers, while anisotropic particles (AR > 2) formed domains of rods preferentially aligned along the main axis. A detailed analysis of the polymer chain mobility by different time domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) techniques evidenced a population of rigid rubber chains surrounding particles, whose amount increases with the particle anisotropy, even in the absence of significant differences in terms of chemical crosslinking. Dynamic measurements demonstrate that rod-like particles induce stronger reinforcement of rubber, increasing with the AR. This was related to the self-alignment of the anisotropic silica particles in domains able to immobilize rubber.

Highly controlled polymers and nanostructures are increasingly translated from the lab to the industry. Together with the industrialization of complex systems from renewable sources, a paradigm change in the processing of plastics and rubbers is underway, requiring a new generation of analytical tools. Here, we present the recent developments in time domain NMR (TD-NMR), starting with an introduction of the methods. Several examples illustrate the new take on traditional issues like the measurement of crosslink density in vulcanized rubber or the monitoring of crystallization kinetics, as well as the unique information that can be extracted from multiphase, nanophase and composite materials. Generally, TD-NMR is capable of determining structural parameters that are in agreement with other techniques and with the final macroscopic properties of industrial interest, as well as reveal details on the local homogeneity that are difficult to obtain otherwise. Considering its moderate technical and space requirements of performing, TD-NMR is a good candidate for assisting product and process development in several applications throughout the rubber, plastics, composites and adhesives industry.