Researchers from Taiwan have demonstrated a white LED consisting of a strontium-based metalorganic framework (MOF), graphene, and inorganic semiconductors, which can generate a bright white light emission.
White LEDs can be long-lasting and energy efficient, but white LEDs are currently made with rare-earth elements, and mining these minerals can be costly and produce toxic waste. Additionally, existing commercial methods for producing white LEDs involve multiple components and steps that hamper efficiency and quality.
In this study, the team developed more cost-effective and environmentally friendly white LEDs using graphene and a strontium-based, metal-organic framework (MOF) that does not include rare-earth elements. MOFs comprise a promising new class of hybrid materials made of metallic ions and organic ligands. Testing showed that the devices' emission spectrum was close to that of natural sunlight.