Complementary Lock‐and‐Key Ligand Binding of a Triplet Transmitter to a Nanocrystal Photosensitizer

Owing to the difficulty in comprehensively characterizing nanocrystal (NC) surfaces, clear guidance for ligand design is lacking. In this work, a series of bidentate bis(pyridine) anthracene isomers (2,3‐PyAn, 3,3‐PyAn, 2,2‐PyAn) that differ in their binding geometries were designed to find the best complementary fit to the NC surface. The efficiency of triplet energy transfer (TET) from the CdSe NC donor to a diphenylanthracene (DPA) acceptor mediated by these isomers was used as a proxy for the efficacy of orbital overlap and therefore ligand binding. 2,3‐PyAn, with an intramolecular N–N distance of 8.2 Å, provided the best match to the surface of CdSe NCs. When serving as a transmitter for photon upconversion, 2,3‐PyAn yielded the highest upconversion quantum yield (QY) of 12.1±1.3 %, followed by 3,3‐PyAn and 2,2‐PyAn. The TET quantum efficiencies determined by ultrafast transient absorption measurements showed the same trend.     

Separation and quantification of quantum dots and dissolved metal cations by size exclusion chromatography–ICP-MS

The prevalence of engineered metallic nanoparticles within electronic products has evoked a need to assess their occurrence and fate within environmental systems upon potential release of these nanoparticles. Quantum dots (QDs) are mixed-metal nanocrystals with the smallest of particle sizes (2–10 nm) that readily leach heavy metal cations in water, potentially creating a co-occurrence of nanoparticulate and dissolved metal pollutants. In this report, we develop a size exclusion chromatography–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry method (SEC-ICP-MS) for the rapid separation and quantification of ~5-nm-sized CdSe/ZnS QDs and dissolved Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ cations in water. The SEC-ICP-MS method provided a wide chromatographic separation of CdSe/ZnS QDs and dissolved Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ cations only when using the smallest SEC column pore size available and an eluent composition that prevented loss of metals to column polymer surfaces by using a surfactant to ensure elution of QDs (ammonium lauryl sulfate) and a complexing ligand to ensure elution of metal cations (ethylenediaminetetraacetate). Detection limits were between 0.2 and 2 µg L^–1 for Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ among dissolved cation and QD phases, and ranges of linearity covered two to three orders of magnitude. Gold nanoparticles of sizes 5, 10, 20 and 50 nm were also effectively separated from dissolved Au³⁺ cations, illustrating the method applicability to a wide range of nanoparticle sizes and compositions. QD and dissolved metal concentrations measured by SEC-ICP-MS were comparable to those measured using the more conventional method of centrifuge ultrafiltration on split samples for dissolved and total metals. The applicability of the SEC-ICP-MS method to environmental systems was verified by measuring QDs and dissolved metals added to samples of natural waters. The method was also applied to monitoring CdSe/ZnS dissolution kinetics in an urban river water. The SEC-ICP-MS developed here may offer improved automation for characterising heterogeneous suspensions containing >1 µg L^–1 heavy metals.     

Carboxylic‐Acid‐Passivated Metal Oxide Nanocrystals: Ligand Exchange Characteristics of a New Binding Motif

Ligand exchange is central in the processing of inorganic nanocrystals (NCs) and requires understanding of surface chemistry. Studying sterically stabilized HfO₂ and ZrO₂ NCs using ¹H solution NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis, this paper demonstrates the reversible exchange of initial oleic acid ligands for octylamine and self‐adsorption of oleic acid at NC surfaces. Both processes are incompatible with an X‐type binding motif of carboxylic acids as reported for sulfide and selenide NCs. We argue that this behavior stems from the dissociative adsorption of carboxylic acids at the oxide surface. Both proton and carboxylate moieties must be regarded as X‐type ligands yielding a combined X₂ binding motif that allows for self‐adsorption and exchange for L‐type ligands.     

基于CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜结构的高双折射光子晶体光纤的色散与损耗控制

基于有限元法,设计了一种六边形排列含CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜结构的高双折射光子晶体光纤,分析了具有不同厚度CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜光子晶体光纤的色散及损耗特性.结果表明,含CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜结构的光子晶体光纤在x和y方向均存在基模.当泵浦光波长逐渐增加时,具有相同厚度CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜光子晶体光纤的双折射值逐渐增大,x和y方向总色散先增大后减小且存在两个零色散点,损耗逐渐增大并在可见光波段趋近于零;具有不同厚度CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜光子晶体光纤随CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜厚度的增加,在相同泵浦光波长处,双折射值逐渐减小,x和y方向总色散逐渐减小且两个零色散点逐渐靠近,损耗逐渐增大.通过沉积不同厚度CdSe/ZnS量子点薄膜和选择合适泵浦光波长,可有效控制光子晶体光纤的色散和损耗.     

量子点CdSe／ZnS的浓度对其荧光的影响研究

影响量子点荧光特性除了量子点尺寸因素外,其溶液浓度也会对其荧光特性起很重要的作用。但到目前,还未见到有关量子点 CdSe／ZnS 在溶液中浓度对其荧光影响的详细报道。为了掌握影响量子点CdSe／ZnS荧光特性的因素及其物理机制,利用紫外-可见吸收光谱仪和荧光光谱仪测量了尺寸为4 nm的量子点CdSe／ZnS在氯仿中不同浓度下的吸收光谱和荧光光谱,并侧重研究了量子点CdSe／ZnS的浓度对其发光特性的影响并分析了其物理机制。结果表明量子点对光谱的吸收随其浓度的增加而增大,但其发光却具有一个最佳浓度2μmol·L－1。当量子点的浓度＞2μmol·L－1时,量子点的荧光强度随着量子点浓度的增加而降低,而当量子点的浓度＜2μmol·L－1时,量子点的发光强度则随其浓度的降低而降低。其原因主要有两个：（1）荧光猝灭效应;（2）荧光发射与光吸收的竞争效应。当量子点的浓度＞2μmol·L－1时,由于量子点之间相距太近（仅为94 nm）而引起了荧光猝灭效应,且其荧光猝灭效应随量子点间距的减小而增大,且因为吸收过大,导致受激的量子点并未增加,因此,其荧光随浓度的增加而降低。而当量子点的浓度＜2μmol·L－1时,因为量子点之间的距离足够大,不再引起荧光猝灭效应,其荧光强度取决于单位体积内的量子点的个数,单位体积内量子点的个数越多,其发光强度越强。因此其发光强度随量子点溶液的浓度降低而降低。     

丁胺包裹的CdSe量子点敏化的TiO2纳米晶薄膜电子转移机制

利用超快光谱技术系统研究了在丁胺包裹的CdSe量子点敏化的TiO₂纳米晶薄膜起始时刻界面间电子转移动力学。与之前的报道不同,该实验结果表明:CdSe量子点经过表面修饰后,两相电子注入机制--热电子和冷电子注入得以被证实,即:电子能分别从CdSe量子点导带中高的振动能级和导带底转移到TiO₂的导带。该机制详细描绘了电子在纳米界面间转移的图景。进一步研究发现:热电子注入的电子耦合强度(3.6±0.1 meV)比弛豫后的基态电子注入高两个数量级,基于Marcus理论,伴随着0.083 eV的重组能,冷电子注入的耦合强度值为~50 μeV。     

Synthesis of the wheat-like CdSe/CdTe thin film heterojunction and their photovoltaic applications

We report on the fabrication of wheat-like CdSe/CdTe thin film heterojunction solar cells made using a simple electrochemical deposition method and close-spaced sublimation technology on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. Structural, optical, and electrical properties of the wheat-like CdSe/CdTe thin film junctions were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectrum and Keithley 2400 analysis. A significant red-shift of the absorption edge is observed in this heterojunction. The heterostructure is composed of the wheat-like CdSe array and CdTe thin film, showing optical properties typical of type II heterostructures that are suited for photovoltaic applications. A photocurrent density of 8.34 mA/cm² has been obtained under visible light illumination of 100 mW/cm². This study demonstrates that the electrochemical deposition and the close-spaced sublimation technology, which are easily adapted to other chemical systems, are promising techniques for large-scale fabrication of low-cost heterojunction solar cells.     

Toward a Raman/FORS discrimination between Art Nouveau and contemporary stained glasses from CdSxSe1 − x nanoparticles signatures

CdS_xSe_{1 − x} quantum dots received considerable attention in academic studies and as cut‐off filters and indirect‐gap semiconductors. These later compounds have also been used for artistic purposes to produce colored glass since the 1920s thanks to their bright colors. Because non‐invasive conditions are now mandatory when considering objects belonging to the cultural heritage, the use of Raman and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy has been identified as potential ones to obtain information about the nanostructure of six samples of historical glass produced between the late 1920s and modern days. The average elemental composition of the nanocrystals has been deduced processing both optical and vibrational data, and the result arising has been compared taking into account the several factors affecting the experimental results. The diffusion of zinc inside the nanocrystals has also been questioned by the shift caused on the CdS‐ and CdSe‐like phonon band wavenumber and on the absorption edge wavelength. An investigation of the size distribution and crystallinity of CdS_xSe_{1 − x} nanoparticles has been also performed considering those parameters that are mainly influenced by the disorder of the system, such as the extent of the Urbach tail and the Raman bandwidth. Thanks to the results obtained, discrimination between the more recent glass and the older Art Nouveau ones has been verified, leading to the identification of a useful analytical protocol for conservation purposes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of Hydrocortisone in Cosmetics by CdSe/CdS Quantum Dots-Based Fluoroimmunoassay Using Magnetic Fe3O4/Au Nanoparticles as Solid Carriers

This work demonstrated the feasibility of detecting hydrocortisone in cosmetics using a novel CdSe/CdS quantum dots‐based competitive fluoroimmunoassay with magnetic core/shell Fe₃O₄/Au nanoparticles (MCFN) as solid carriers. Hydrocortisone antigen was labeled with the synthesized core/shell CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) to form the antigen‐QDs conjugate. Meanwhile, hydrocortisone antibody was incubated with MCFN and the immobilized antibody was obtained. The immobilized antibody was then mixed sequentially with hydrocortisone and a slightly excess amount of the QDs‐labeled hydrocortisone antigen, allowing their competition for binding with the antibody immobilized on MCFN. The bound hydrocortisone and the antigen‐QDs conjugates on MCFN were removed subsequently after the mixture was applied to a magnetic force. The analyte concentration was obtained by measuring the fluorescence intensity of the unbound hydrocortisone antigen‐QDs conjugates. The proposed method was characterized by simplicity, rapidity, and high sensitivity with a wide linear working range of 0.5 to 15000 pg·mL^?1 and a low detection limit of 0.5 pg·mL^?1. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of hydrocortisone in cosmetics with satisfactory results.