Silicon Nanocrystals and Silicon‐Polymer Hybrids: Synthesis,Surface Engineering,and Applications

Silicon nanocrystals (Si‐NCs) are emerging as an attractive class of quantum dots owing to the natural abundance of silicon in the Earth's crust, their low toxicity compared to many Group II–VI and III–V based quantum dots, compatibility with the existing semiconductor industry infrastructure, and their unique optoelectronic properties. Despite these favorable qualities, Si‐NCs have not received the same attention as Group II–VI and III–V quantum dots, because of their lower emission quantum yields, difficulties associated with synthesizing monodisperse particles, and oxidative instability. Recent advancements indicate the surface chemistry of Si‐NCs plays a key role in determining many of their properties. This Review summarizes new reports related to engineering Si‐NC surfaces, synthesis of Si‐NC/polymer hybrids, and their applications in sensing, diodes, catalysis, and batteries.     

Properties of Ruthenium Complex-Doped Calcium Phosphate/Porous Silicon Nanostructures

In this work, we focus on the optical properties of the ruthenium complexes [Ru(phen)₃]Cl₂ and [Ru(bpy)₃]Cl₂ incorporated into biocompatible calcium phosphate films on porous Si substrates to both characterize the distribution of such species in the film as well as analyze their diffusion from the porous matrix upon aqueous exposure. For the latter measurements, photoluminescence spectroscopy is employed to monitor the changes in emission intensity for the both the calcium phosphate surface and surrounding aqueous environment as a consequence of diffusion from the film. In selected cases, visible absorption spectroscopy was also utilized to measure the appearance of a given complex in the surrounding solution. The effects of heating and anodic bias on the calcium phosphate/porous Si/Si substrate on the kinetics and available equilibrium concentrations of a given Ru complex have also been evaluated.     

Amphiphilic egg-derived carbon dots: rapid plasma fabrication, pyrolysis process, and multicolor printing patterns

How do you like your eggs? Amphiphilic carbon dots (CDs) with intense blue fluorescence have been produced from chicken eggs by treatment with plasma. They are used as effective "fluorescent carbon inks" for multicolor luminescent inkjet and silk-screen printing.     

The Design of Dual Emitting Cores for Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Materials

Dual emitting cores for thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters were developed. Relative to the corresponding TADF emitter with a single emitting core the TADF emitter with a dual emitting core, 3,3′,5,5′‐tetra(carbazol‐9‐yl)‐[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2,2′,6,6′‐tetracarbonitrile, showed enhanced light absorption accompanied by a high photoluminescence quantum yield. The quantum and power efficiencies of the TADF devices were enhanced by the dual emitting cores.     

Modulating Hierarchical Micro/Mesoporosity by a Mixed Solvent Approach in Al-MOF: Stabilization of MAPbBr3 Quantum Dots

Various hierarchical micro/mesoporous MOFs based on {[Al(μ-OH)(1,4-NDC)]⋅H₂O} ( MOF1 ) with tunable porosities (pore volume and surface area) have been synthesized by assembling Al^III and 1,4-NDC (1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate) under microwave irradiation by varying water/ethanol solvent ratio. Water/ethanol mixture has played a crucial role in the mesopore generation in MOF1M₂₅ , MOF1M₅₀ , and MOF1M₇₅ , which is achieved by in situ formation of water/ethanol clusters. By adjusting the ratio of water/ethanol, the particle size, surface area and micro/mesopore volume fraction of the MOFs are controlled. Furthermore, reaction time plays a critical role in mesopore formation as realized by varying reaction time for the MOF with 50 % ethanol ( MOF1M₅₀ ). Additionally, hierarchical MOF ( MOF1M₅₀ ) has been used as a template for the stabilization of MAPbBr₃ (MA=methylammonium) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs). MAPbBr₃ PQDs are grown inside MOF1M₅₀ , where mesopores control the size of PQDs which leads to quantum confinement.     

Radical‐Induced Hydrosilylation Reactions for the Functionalization of Two‐Dimensional Hydride Terminated Silicon Nanosheets

Herein we present the functionalization of freestanding silicon nanosheets (SiNSs) by radical‐induced hydrosilylation reactions. An efficient hydrosilylation of Si?H terminated SiNSs can be achieved by thermal initiation or the addition of diazonium salts with a variety of alkene or alkyne derivatives. The radical‐induced hydrosilylation is applicable for a wide variety of substrates with different functionalities, improving the stability and dispersibility of the functional SiNSs in organic solvents and potentially opening up new fields of application for these hybrid materials.     

Tailored Porous Silicon Microparticles: Fabrication and Properties

The use of mesoporous silicon particles for drug delivery has been widely explored thanks to their biodegradability and biocompatibility. The ability to tailor the physicochemical properties of porous silicon at the micro‐ and nanoscale confers versatility to this material. A method for the fabrication of highly reproducible, monodisperse, mesoporous silicon particles with controlled physical characteristics through electrochemical etching of patterned silicon trenches is presented. The particle size is tailored in the micrometer range and pore size in the nanometer range, the shape from tubular to discoidal to hemispherical, and the porosity from 46 to over 80 %. In addition, the properties of the porous matrix are correlated with the loading of model nanoparticles (quantum dots) and their three‐dimensional arrangement within the matrix is observed by transmission electron microscopy tomography. The methods developed in this study provide effective means to fabricate mesoporous silicon particles according to the principles of rational design for therapeutic vectors and to characterize the distribution of nanoparticles within the porous matrix.     

Excitonic Chemiluminescence in Si and CdSe Nanocrystals Induced by their Interaction with Ozone

The results of a systematic study of spectral and kinetic patterns of ozone‐adsorption‐induced luminescence (AL) in nanostructured Si and, for the first time, in colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are reported and compared with photoluminescence (PL) of the same structures. The common excitonic nature of light emission under ozone chemisorption and photoexcitation is confirmed by excellent coincidence of AL and PL emission bands. This coincidence is maintained during correlated quenching of AL and PL emission caused by nonradiative defects generated under ozone adsorption. A possible mechanism for energy conversion is proposed in the framework of an exothermic oxidation reaction of core materials caused by ozone. The significant role of the quantum confinement effect differentiates the observed phenomenon from well‐known chemiluminescence in molecular systems. This research establishes a physicochemical basis for the development of a gas sensor with high selectivity to ozone. Also, our findings may be useful for testing core–shell colloidal QDs with ozone.     

Effective controlled release of captopril by silylation of mesoporous MCM-41.

The release of the water-soluble drug Captopril is controlled by tailoring the surface properties of mesoporous silica via stepwise silylation. The degree of silylation is manipulated by adjusting the initial concentration of silylanizing reagent (trimethylchlorosilane, TMCS). The silylanized and drug-loaded samples are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, N2 adsorption and desorption, 29Si cross-polarization magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The drug-loading amount is correlated to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the mesoporous silica material, while drug release profiles can be controlled by tailoring the surface properties and pore size.     

钇对掺饵多孔硅体系1.54μm发光的增强作用

首次报道了用恒电位电解法将饵、钇共掺入多孔硅（porous silicons, PS） 中，经高温退火处理后，观察到了在近红外区（1.54 μm）室温下较强的光致发光 （photoluminescence, PL），并与掺饵多孔硅（erbium-doped porous silicon, PS:Er）做了比较，发现钇的共掺入对掺饵多孔硅体系1.54 μm发射起了增强作用 。研究了饵、钇共掺杂多孔硅（erbium and yttrium co-doped porous silicon, PS:Er, Y）光致发光强度随温度的变化，发现PS:Er与Si:Er材料相似，有较强的 温度猝灭效应，而PS:Er，Y体系的PL强度随温度升高趋于平稳，且有增强的趋势， 受温度影响不明显，并初步探讨了其发光机制。     

多孔硅薄膜上铜微晶的形成

以氯化铜水溶液作电解液,在发光多孔硅薄膜表面上电沉积铜.SEM观测和计算机图像处理结果表明:电沉积之后,在多孔硅薄膜上形成了一些或实心或中空的等边三角形铜微晶,沉积后的多孔硅薄膜的分形维数从2.608降为2.252,其表面由粗糙变为光滑.与物理方法制作相比,这是一种机械强度和导电性能都更加良好的多孔硅薄膜.     

Solution Synthesis of Porous Silicon Particles as an Anode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

Nanostructured silicon-based materials with porous structures have recently been found to be impressive anode materials with high capacity and cycling performance for lithium-ion batteries. However, the current methods of preparing porous silicon have generally been confronted with the requirement for multiple steps and complex synthesis. In the present study, porous silicon with high surface area was prepared by using a high yielding and simple reaction in which commercial magnesium powder readily reacts with HSiCl₃ with the help of an amine catalyst under mild conditions. The obtained porous silicon was coated with a nitrogen-doped carbon layer and used as the anode for lithium-ion batteries. The porous Si-carbon nanocomposites exhibited excellent cycling performance with a retained discharge capacity of 1300 mA h g⁻¹ after 200 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹ and a discharge capacity of 750 mA h g⁻¹ at a current density of 2 A g⁻¹ after 250 cycles. Remarkably, the Coulombic efficiency was maintained at nearly 100 % throughout the measurements.     

Ionic Liquids Can Permanently Modify Porous Silicon Surface Chemistry

To develop ionic liquid/porous silicon (IL/pSi) microarrays we have contact pin‐printed 20 hydrophobic and hydrophilic ionic liquids onto as‐prepared, hydrogen‐passivated porous silicon (ap‐pSi) and then determined the individual IL spot size, shape and associated pSi surface chemistry. The results reveal that the hydrophobic ionic liquids oxidize the ap‐pSi slightly. In contrast, the hydrophilic ionic liquids lead to heavily oxidized pSi (i.e., ox‐pSi). The strong oxidation arises from residual water within the hydrophilic ILs that is delivered from these ILs into the ap‐pSi matrix causing oxidation. This phenomenon is less of an issue in the hydrophobic ILs because their water solubility is substantially lower.     

Photophysical Properties of Au‐CdTe Hybrid Nanostructures of Varying Sizes and Shapes

We design well‐defined metal‐semiconductor nanostructures using thiol‐functionalized CdTe quantum dots (QDs)/quantum rods (QRs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein‐conjugated Au nanoparticles (NPs)/nanorods (NRs) in aqueous solution. The main focus of this article is to address the impacts of size and shape on the photophysical properties, including radiative and nonradiative decay processes and energy transfers, of Au‐CdTe hybrid nanostructures. The red shifting of the plasmonic band and the strong photoluminescence (PL) quenching reveal a strong interaction between plasmons and excitons in these Au‐CdTe hybrid nanostructures. The PL quenching of CdTe QDs varies from 40 to 86 % by changing the size and shape of the Au NPs. The radiative as well as the nonradiative decay rates of the CdTe QDs/QRs are found to be affected in the presence of both Au NPs and NRs. A significant change in the nonradiative decay rate from 4.72×10⁶ to 3.92×10¹⁰ s^?1 is obtained for Au NR‐conjugated CdTe QDs. It is seen that the sizes and shapes of the Au NPs have a pronounced effect on the distance‐dependent energy transfer. Such metal‐semiconductor hybrid nanostructures should have great potentials for nonlinear optical properties, photovoltaic devices, and chemical sensors.     

Size Effect of Graphene Quantum Dots on Photoluminescence

High-photoluminescence (PL) graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were synthesized by a simple one-pot hydrothermal process, then separated by dialysis bags of different molecular weights. Four separated GQDs of varying sizes were obtained and displayed different PL intensities. With the decreasing size of separated GQDs, the intensity of the emission peak becomes much stronger. Finally, the GQDs of the smallest size revealed the most energetic PL intensity in four separated GQDs. The PL energy of all the separated GQDs shifted slightly, supported by density functional theory calculations.     

Functionalization of Hydride‐Terminated Photoluminescent Silicon Nanocrystals with Organolithium Reagents

Hydride‐terminated photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) were functionalized with organolithium compounds. The reaction is proposed to proceed through cleavage of Si?Si bonds and formation of a Si?Li surface species. The method yields colloidally stabilized SiNCs at room temperature with short reaction times. SiNCs with mixed surface functionalities can be prepared in an easy two‐step reaction by this method by quenching of the Si?Li group with electrophiles or by addressing free Si?H groups on the surface with a hydrosilylation reaction.