Kookmin University team develops perovskite quantum dot synthesis technology in collaborative study

This graph shows that photovoltaic devices fabricated using highly uniform perovskite quantum dots synthesized on a large scale by researchers from Kookmin University and collaborating institutions achieved power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 15 percent. Courtesy of Kookmin University

A Kookmin University research team has developed a technology for the scalable synthesis of highly uniform perovskite quantum dots in collaboration with researchers from other institutions including the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST).

Kookmin University said Tuesday that Kim Jae-hyuck, a master’s student in the university’s department of chemistry, played a key role in the study as a co-first author.

Kim is a member of the university’s research team, led by chemistry professor Kim Young-hoon. His team collaborated with another Kookmin University research team led by chemistry professor Kim Hyung-min and a DGIST team led by energy science and engineering professor Choi Jong-min.

The findings were published on July 3 in the international journal ACS Energy Letters under the title, “Precursor Diffusion-Controlled Scalable Synthesis of Monodisperse Iodide Perovskite Quantum Dots for Photovoltaics.” The journal is published by the American Chemical Society.

The paper was co-first authored by Kim Jae-hyuck and Dr. Kim Ji-geon of Kookmin University, along with Dr. Han Sang-hun of DGIST. The corresponding authors are professors Kim Hyung-min and Kim Young-hoon of Kookmin University and DGIST professor Choi Jong-min.

Kim Jae-hyuck, a master’s student in Kookmin University’s department of chemistry / Courtesy of Kookmin University

The university said perovskite quantum dots have emerged as a promising material for next-generation solar cells owing to their outstanding optical and electrical properties.

However, conventional synthesis methods involve extremely rapid reaction kinetics, making it increasingly difficult to maintain uniform particle size and quality as production scales up.

As a result, the large-scale production of high-quality perovskite quantum dots and their application in high-efficiency solar cells have remained significant challenges.

To overcome these challenges, the research team developed a precursor diffusion-controlled scalable synthesis method that precisely regulates the diffusion rate of precursors, enabling the nucleation and crystal growth stages to be independently controlled.

Using this approach, the team successfully synthesized highly uniform perovskite quantum dots on a large scale and demonstrated a power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 15 percent in photovoltaic devices fabricated from the large-scale-synthesized quantum dots, significantly improving the feasibility of industrial-scale manufacturing.

The university said the scalable synthesis technology for perovskite quantum dots could improve the performance of next-generation solar cells.

The latest publication also marks another achievement for Kim Jae-hyuck. He previously published a paper as the sole first author in Nano Research in 2025 and has since published another paper in a leading international journal in the field of energy.

He has also demonstrated outstanding research capabilities in materials and energy science, receiving an outstanding paper presentation award from the Polymer Society of Korea.