Towards Sustainable Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Electrical Engineering Environmental Engineering Chemistry Materials Science Engineering Information Science Chemical Engineering Energy Engineering Semiconductors and Information Devices
Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment Environmental Impact Economic Cost Technical Improvement Commercialization

As global attention to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability continues to grow, light-emitting diode (LED) technology has become a mainstream choice in the lighting and display sectors. However, despite significant advancements in the energy efficiency and performance of traditional LEDs, their reliance on rare materials during manufacturing and their environmental impact remain unavoidable concerns. In recent years, perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have emerged as a promising candidate for the next generation of lighting and display technologies due to their lightweight design, flexibility, and wide color gamut. Nevertheless, despite rapid technical progress, a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and economic impacts of PeLEDs is still lacking, which is crucial for their future commercialization.

This study aims to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of 18 representative PeLEDs from a life-cycle perspective, identifying effective industrial techniques for the sustainable development of PeLEDs. The research not only focuses on technical performance but also delves into the environmental impact of PeLEDs throughout their life cycle, particularly the toxicity contribution of lead (Pb), and proposes key parameters necessary for commercialization.

Source of the Paper

This paper is co-authored by Muyi Zhang, Xiaotian Ma, John Laurence Esguerra, Hongling Yu, Olof Hjelm, Jiashuo Li, and Feng Gao, affiliated with institutions such as Linköping University, Shandong University, and University of Oxford. The paper was published in Nature Sustainability in March 2025, with the DOI 10.1038/s41893-024-01503-7.

Research Process

1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Framework

The study first established a life cycle assessment framework for PeLEDs, covering five stages: raw material acquisition, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life. To comprehensively evaluate the environmental impact of PeLEDs, the research selected 18 representative PeLED technologies, spanning red, green, blue (RGB), white, and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Detailed technical parameters and naming conventions for each technology are provided in the supplementary materials.

2. Raw Material Acquisition and Manufacturing Stages

In the raw material acquisition stage, the study meticulously documented the materials required for each PeLED, including the preparation of ITO glass substrates, hole transport materials, perovskite materials, electron transport materials, and metal electrodes. The manufacturing stage focused on energy consumption and waste emissions during device assembly, particularly the high energy consumption of nitrogen gloveboxes and evaporation systems.

3. Distribution and Use Stages

The distribution stage primarily considered energy consumption and emissions during transportation, assuming a distance of 100 kilometers. The use stage assessed the electricity consumption of PeLEDs in display or lighting applications, excluding dynamic environmental impacts for subsequent discussion.

4. End-of-Life Stage

In the end-of-life stage, the study assumed that lab-scale PeLED devices would be landfilled, although this contributes minimally to the total environmental impact. However, recycling strategies were recommended for future industrial applications to reduce raw material input.

5. Simulation of Industrial Techniques

To simulate future large-scale production of PeLEDs, the study introduced several industrial techniques, including the reuse of organic cleaning solvents, recycling of metal electrodes and ITO glass substrates, waste management, and the replacement of gold electrodes with less impactful metals. Detailed descriptions of these techniques are provided in the methods section.

Key Findings

1. Environmental Impact Analysis

The results show that the environmental impact of PeLEDs primarily stems from material inputs and electricity consumption during production. Analysis of eight key environmental impact categories (e.g., human carcinogenic toxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, fossil resource scarcity) revealed that PeLEDs of different colors exhibit similar environmental impact profiles, with the main contributions coming from organic cleaning solvents and electricity consumption.

2. Toxicity Contribution of Lead

The study specifically highlighted that the toxicity contribution of lead in PeLEDs is relatively minor, accounting for less than 10% of human non-carcinogenic toxicity. This finding aligns with research on perovskite solar cells, indicating that lead is not the primary source of toxicity in PeLEDs.

3. Environmental Benefits of Industrial Techniques

Simulation results demonstrated that adopting industrial techniques could reduce the environmental impact of PeLEDs by 50-90%. Among these, controlling cleaning solvents and replacing gold electrodes were the most effective strategies, supplemented by large-scale manufacturing, substrate recycling, and waste management.

4. Relative Impact Mitigation Time (RIMT)

The study proposed a new parameter—Relative Impact Mitigation Time (RIMT)—to quantify the minimum lifetime required for PeLEDs to achieve sustainability. The calculation of RIMT is based on a comprehensive consideration of internal and external relative impacts, indicating that PeLEDs should achieve a lifetime exceeding 10,000 hours to offset the relative environmental impacts of their production.

Conclusions and Significance

This study demonstrates that PeLEDs hold significant potential in terms of environmental, economic, and technical performance, positioning them as strong contenders for next-generation lighting technology. The research not only provides detailed data and methodologies for the life cycle assessment of PeLEDs but also offers guidance for the sustainable development of analogous technologies. In particular, the proposed RIMT parameter introduces a new approach for assessing the sustainability of electronic devices.

Research Highlights

  1. Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment: The study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the environmental and economic performance of PeLEDs from a life-cycle perspective, filling a gap in this field.
  2. Toxicity Contribution of Lead: The study clearly highlights the minor toxicity contribution of lead in PeLEDs, correcting public misconceptions about lead toxicity.
  3. Environmental Benefits of Industrial Techniques: By simulating industrial techniques, the study showcases the environmental benefits of future large-scale PeLED production, providing technical support for commercialization.
  4. Introduction of the RIMT Parameter: The proposed RIMT parameter offers a new quantitative tool for assessing the sustainability of electronic devices.

Additional Valuable Information

The study also notes that the future cost of PeLEDs is expected to be around $100 per square meter, comparable to commercial organic LED panels, further enhancing their market competitiveness. Additionally, the research emphasizes the influence of electricity structures on the environmental footprint of PeLEDs, recommending the use of clean energy to further reduce environmental impact.

Through this study, the path to the sustainable commercialization of PeLEDs has become clearer, providing important scientific foundations for the development of next-generation lighting technologies.