Luminescent carbon dots (L-CDs) with high quantum yield value (44.7%) and controllable emission wavelengths were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. Importantly, the surface states of the materials could be engineered so that their photoluminescence was either excitation-dependent or distinctly independent. This was achieved by changing the density of amino-groups on the L-CD surface. The above materials were successfully used to prepare multicolor L-CDs/polymer composites, which exhibited blue, green and even white luminescence. In addition, the excellent excitation-independent luminescence of L-CDs prepared at low temperature was tested for detecting various metal ions. As an example, the detection limit of toxic Be2+ ions, tested for the first time, was as low as 23 μM.

Low cost and high conductivity make copper (Cu) nanowire (NW) electrodes an attractive material to construct flexible and stretchable electronic skins, displays, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), solar cells, and electrochromic windows. However, the vulnerabilities that Cu NW electrodes have to oxidation, bending, and stretching still present great challenges. This work demonstrates a new Cu@Cu4Ni NW conductive elastomer composite with ultrahigh stability for the first time. Cu@Cu4Ni NWs, facilely synthesized through a one-pot method, have highly crystalline alloyed shells, clear and abrupt interfaces, lengths more than 50 μm, and smooth surfaces. These virtues provide the NW-elastomer composites with a low resistance of 62.4 ohm/sq at 80% transparency, which is even better than the commercial ITO/PET flexible electrodes. In addition, the fluctuation amplitude of resistance is within 2 ohm/sq within 30 days, meaning that at ΔR/R0 = 1, the actual lifetime is estimated to be more than 1200 days. Neither the conductivity nor the performances of OLED with elastomers as conductive circuits show evident degradation during 600 cycles of bending, stretching, and twisting tests. These high-performance and extremely stable NW elastomeric electrodes could endow great chances for transparent, flexible, stretchable, and wearable electronic and optoelectronic devices.

For all‐solution‐processed (ASP) devices, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanocrystal (NC) inks are anticipated as the next‐generation electrodes to replace both those synthesized by sputtering techniques and those consisting of rare metals, but a universal and one‐pot method to prepare these inks is still lacking. A universal one‐pot strategy is now described; through simply heating a mixture of metal–organic precursors a wide range of TCO NC inks, which can be assembled into high‐performance electrodes for use in ASP optoelectronics, were synthesized. This method can be used for various oxide NC inks with yields as high as 10 g. The formed NCs are of high crystallinity, uniform morphology, monodispersity, and high ink stability and feature effective doping. Therefore, the inks can be readily assembled into films with a surface roughness of 1.6 nm. Typically, a sheet resistance of 110 Ω sq−1 can be achieved with a transmittance of 88 %, which is the best performance for TCO NC ink‐based electrodes described to date. These electrodes can thus drive a polymer light‐emitting diode (PLED) with a luminance of 2200 cd m−2 at 100 mA cm−2.

Transparent electrodes (TEs) are crucial in a wide range of modern electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, traditional TEs cannot meet the requirements of smart devices under development in unique fields, such as electronic skins, wearable electronics, robotic skins, flexible and stretchable displays, and solar cells. Emerging TEs printed with nanocrystal (NC) inks are inexpensive and compatible with solution processes, and have huge potential in flexible, stretchable, and wearable devices. Every development in ink‐based electrodes makes them more competitive for practical applications in various smart devices. Herein, we provide an overview of emergent ink‐based electrodes, such as transparent conducting oxides, metal nanowires, graphene, and carbon nanotubes, and their application in solution‐based flexible and stretchable devices.

in a silicon nanowires (SiNWs) array/TiO2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sensor with sensitive and selective response toward nitro‐explosives vapors. The response of the SiNWs array/TiO2/rGO sensor toward nitro‐explosives vapors, such as 9 ppb 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene, 4.9 ppt hexogen, and 0.25 ppq octagon, is boosted by 2.4, 7.5, and 5 times with the insertion of TiO2. Superior selectivity is shown even compared with interfering gases of 10 ppm. Such good sensing performance can be attributed to the good sensing performance of the Schottky heterojunction‐based sensor, the Schottky barrier height modulation with the insertion of TiO2, SiNWs array structure enhanced diffusion, and TiO2 nanoparticles enhanced adsorption. This is believed to be the first Schottky heterojunction‐based sensor for nitro‐explosives vapors detection. This work would open a new way to develop highly sensitive and selective sensors.