Using mesoporous SiO 2 to encapsulate CsPbBr 3 nanocrystals is one of the best strategies to exploit such materials in devices. However, the CsPbBr 3 /SiO 2 composites produced so far do not exhibit strong photoluminescence emission and, simultaneously, high stability against heat and water. We demonstrate a molten-salts-based approach delivering CsPbBr 3 /mesoporous-SiO 2 composites with high PLQY (89 ± 10%) and high stability against heat, water, and aqua regia. The molten salts enable the formation of perovskite nanocrystals and other inorganic salts (KNO 3 –NaNO 3 –KBr) inside silica and the sealing of SiO 2 pores at temperatures as low as 350 °C, representing an important technological advancement (analogous sealing was observed only above 700 °C in previous reports). Our CsPbBr 3 /mesoporous-SiO 2 composites are attractive for different applications: as a proof-of-concept, we prepared a white-light emitting diode exhibiting a correlated color temperature of 7692K. Our composites are also stable after immersion in saline water at high temperatures (a typical underground environment of oil wells), therefore holding promise as oil tracers.

We demonstrate enhancement of the photoluminescence (PL) properties of individual zero-dimensional (0D) Cs 4 PbBr 6 perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) upon encapsulation by alumina using an appropriately modified atomic layer deposition method. In addition to the increased PL intensity and improved long-term stability of encapsulated PNCs, our single-particle studies reveal substantial changes in the PL blinking statistics and the persistent appearance of the long-lived, "delayed" PL components. The blinking patterns exhibit a modification from the fast switching between fluorescent ON and OFF states found in bare PNCs to a behavior with longer ON states and more isolated OFF states in alumina-encapsulated PNCs. Controlled exposure of 0D nanocrystals to moisture suggests that the observed PL lifetime changes may be related to water-induced "reservoir" states that allow for longer-lived charge storage with subsequent back-feeding into the emissive states. Viable encapsulation of PNCs with metal oxides that can preserve and even enhance their PL properties can be utilized in the fabrication of extended structures on their basis for optoelectronic and photonic applications.

Bacillus strains isolated from the rhizosphere soil of potato roots were evaluated for the potential antagonistic activity against fungal pathogens in vitro and in vivo. Two bacterial isolates were identified as new Bacillus subtilis strains by 16S rRNA and GyrB gene sequencing and were designated GM2 and GM5, respectively. Strains were characterized by their ability to inhibit growth of a number of phytopathogenic fungi. It was shown that GM5 strain inhibited growth of phytopathogenic fungi more effectively than GM2 strain. Both strains were capable of producing a number of hydrolytic enzymes as well as antimicrobial metabolites (ammonia and HCN). In addition, GM2 strain also produced siderophores. Four genes encoding antimicrobial peptides were identified in the genome of GM2 strain: ituC, bmyB, bacA and srfA. Genome of GM5 contained two genes encoding for antimicrobial peptides, srfA and fenD. Purified lipopeptide fraction from GM5 but not from GM2 strain was able to control Fusarium solani spread in the plate assay. Furthermore, Bacillus subtilis strain GM2 promoted growth of wheat but only GM5 strain was able to protect wheat seedlings from Fusarium oxysporum infection.

The exploitation of the optimal optical properties of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals in optoelectronic devices is mainly hindered by the low stability of such materials. Here, a molten‐salts approach is developed to encapsulate CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (together with KNO3, NaNO3, and KBr inorganic salts) inside different nanoscale mesoporous SiO2 host matrices, having sizes between 100 and 300 nm. The comparison between optical properties and stability of the products, including the previously reported ≥600‐nm‐sized CsPbBr3/m‐SiO2 composite, indicates that 100‐nm‐sized CsPbBr3/m‐SiO2 particles feature the best stability against humidity, light irradiation and heat, and exhibit a green (peaked at 517 nm) narrow photoluminescence (full width at half maximum of 18 nm) with high quantum yield (77%). Such properties make these composite particles optimal green phosphors for down conversion liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Indeed, the authors demonstrate that a proof‐of‐concept 7‐in. LCD in which the green color conversion layer is a polymer film loaded with 100‐nm‐sized CsPbBr3/m‐SiO2 particles, features an optimal white emission (with correlated color temperature of 6861 K), that is close to the reference white point of NTSC, and covers 92% of NTSC standard color gamut area of CIE1931, higher than that of a reference commercial LCD (Dell XPS 15 7590 laptop).

Perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are promising materials for display application due to their high optical properties, such as: high PLQY, narrow FWHM and tunable emission wavelengths. The present work shows the further progress in enhancement of perovskite QDs stability, resistance to photodegradation and PL quenching at high temperatures.