硒化铅核壳量子点的合成与应用研究进展

硒化铅(PbSe)量子点具有宽红外光谱调控范围、高荧光量子产率和可溶液加工等特点,成为一类重要的红外材料体系。与广泛研究的PbS量子点相比,PbSe量子点在空气中容易氧化,从而严重破坏其光电特性,制约了其应用的发展。壳层的包覆是有效提升PbSe量子点光学特性和化学稳定性的策略之一,是推动PbSe量子点应用发展的材料研究方向。本文综述了PbSe核壳量子点的合成及其在光电探测、太阳能电池、激光器和光催化等领域的应用研究进展,希望能够为国内研究者开展相关研究提供参考。     

Ultrafast Saturable Absorption of Core/Shell Colloidal Quantum Dots

Ultrafast saturable absorption (SA) materials that are capable of blocking the optical absorption under strong excitation have extensive applications in photonic devices. This work presents core/shell colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) which have the quantized energy levels, excellent band gap tunability, and possess significant SA performance. When the band gap is close to the pump pulse energy, the CQDs show significant resonant SA response. At the same excitation conditions, the core/shell CQDs dispersions show better SA response than graphene dispersions, and comparable to the recently reported molybdenum disulfide. The carrier dynamics of the SA of the CQDs is analyzed systematically. The research has also found that the two‐photon absorption of the CQDs show nearly cubic power law of the band gap, while the SA performance keeps almost the same in the nonresonant regime. Further, superior passive Q‐switched laser behavior is observed using the CQDs as a saturable absorber. The results directly reveal the physical processes of this basic problem and broaden the applications of CQDs in photonic devices.     

基于CuInS2/ZnS核壳结构量子点的高光效暖白光LED

采用逐步热注射法合成了用于白光LED的CuInS₂/ZnS(CIS/ZnS)核壳结构量子点.通过调整Cu/In的比率, 在CuInS₂(CIS)量子点的基础上, 合成了发射波长在570~650 nm之间可调的CIS/ZnS量子点.与CIS量子点的低量子产率相比, 具有核壳结构的CIS/ZnS量子点的量子产率达到了78%.通过在黄光荧光粉YAG :Ce³⁺表面旋涂CIS/ZnS量子点的方式制备了暖白光LED器件.在工作电流为10 mA时, 暖白光LED的发光效率达到了244.58 lm/W.由于CIS/ZnS量子点的加入, 所制备的白光LED器件的显色指数达到86.7且发光颜色向暖色调发生了转移, 相应的色坐标为(0.340 6, 0.369 0).     

Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of Biocompatible Silk Fibroin‐Based Carbon Quantum Dots

A biocompatible silk fibroin‐based carbon quantum dot (SF‐CQD) is first synthesized under microwave irradiation for a short time. This fast and environmentally safe technique produce well‐defined nanosized SF‐CQDs. The SF‐CQDs have good crystallinity, a strong emission peak in the blue‐color region, high quantum yield, and the potential for modification with various functional groups on the surface. These SF‐CQDs demonstrate stable emission, good water dispersity, low toxicity, and good biocompatibility. These properties show the great potential of these SF‐CQDs for use in biomedical applications including bioimaging, biosensing, and drug delivery systems.     

InAs Quantum Dots On (001) GaAs Substrate with two Groups of Different Sizes Under Arsenic Shutter Closed Condition

The effect of temperature on the self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs substrate under arsenic shutter closed condition has been studied. From atomic force microscopy (AFM), it was found that the size of InAs dots exhibited a transition from single-sized uniformly distributed quantum dot (QD) at a growth temperature of 490°C to two groups of different sizes QDs at 510°C. Since the desorption rate of In atoms from the substrate surface is very high at 510°C, a growth model is proposed that attributes the larger sized QDs to the enhanced capture of desorbed In atoms by a local random protrusion which initiates a regenerative capture and growth process and leads to explosive growth.     

Preparation of Highly Stable and Photoluminescent Cadmium-Free InP/GaP/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dots and Application to Quantitative Immunoassay

Indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots (QDs) are ideal substitutes for widely used cadmium-based QDs and have great application prospects in biological fields due to their environmentally benign properties and human safety. However, the synthesis of InP core/shell QDs with biocompatibility, high quantum yield (QY), uniform particle size, and high stability is still a challenging subject. Herein, high quality (QY up to 72%) thick shell InP/GaP/ZnS core/shell QDs (12.8 ± 1.4 nm) are synthesized using multiple injections of shell precursor and extension of shell growth time, with GaP serving as the intermediate layer and 1-octanethiol acting as the new S source. The thick shell InP/GaP/ZnS core/shell QDs still keep high QY and photostability after transfer into water. InP/GaP/ZnS core/shell QDs as fluorescence labels to establish QD-based fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (QD-FLISA) for quantitative detection of C-reactive protein (CRP), and a calibration curve is established between fluorescence intensity and CRP concentrations (range: 1–800 ng mL⁻¹, correlation coefficient: R² = 0.9992). The limit of detection is 2.9 ng mL⁻¹, which increases twofold compared to previously reported cadmium-free QD-based immunoassays. Thus, InP/GaP/ZnS core/shell QDs as a great promise fluorescence labeling material, provide a new route for cadmium-free sensitive and specific immunoassays in biomedical fields.     

CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS多壳层结构量子点的制备与表征

展示了一种简捷的多壳层量子点合成路线。在含有过量Se源的CdSe体系中直接注入Zn源,"一步法"合成了CdSe/ZnSe量子点;进一步以CdSe/ZnSe为"核",表面外延生长ZnS壳层制备了核/壳/壳结构CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS量子点。相对于以往报道的多壳层结构量子点的制备方法,该方法通过减少壳层的生长步骤有效地简化了实验操作,缩短了实验周期,同时减少对原料的损耗。对量子点进行高温退火处理,能够大幅提高CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS量子点的发光量子产率。透射电镜、XRD以及光谱研究表明:所制备的量子点接近球形,核与壳层纳米晶均为闪锌矿结构,最终获得的CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS量子点的光致发光量子产率达到53％。为了实现量子点的表面生物功能化,通过巯基酸进行了表面配体交换修饰,使量子点表面具有水溶性的羧基功能团,并且能够维持较高的光致发光量子产率。     

Hydrothermal Preparation of Photoluminescent Graphene Quantum Dots Characterized Excitation‐Independent Emission and its Application as a Bioimaging Reagent

Zero‐dimensional photoluminescent (PL) graphene quantum dots (GQDs) that can be used as the cell‐imaging reagent are prepared by a hydrothermal route using the graphene oxide (GO) as the carbon source. Under the optimized hydrothermal conditions, an initial hydrogen peroxide concentration of 0.5 mg mL^?1 at 180 °C for 120 min, the GO sheets can be cut into nanocrystals with lateral dimensions in the range of 1.5–5.5 nm and an average thickness of around 1.1 nm. The as‐prepared GQDs exhibit an abundance of hydrophilic hydroxy and carboxyl groups and emit bright blue luminescence with up‐conversion properties in a water solution at neutral pH. Most interestingly, they indicate excitation‐independent emission characteristics, and the surface state is demonstrated to have a key role in the PL properties. The fluorescence quantum yield of the GQDs is tested to be around 6.99% using quinine sulfate as a standard. In addition, the as‐prepared GQDs can enter into HeLa cells easily as a fluorescent imaging reagent without any further functionalization, indicating they are aqueous stability, biocompatibility, and promising for potential applications in biolabeling and solution state optoelectronics.     

基于明胶制备碳量子点及其光学性能的研究

通过水热法采用热解明胶制备出有蓝色荧光的碳量子点,并通过单因素优化实验对制备碳量子点的温度、时间进行优化以选择出制备碳量子点的最佳条件,结果表明在水热反应温度为200 ℃,反应时间为6 h时制备的碳量子点的荧光性能最强。同时,利用透射电子显微镜(TEM)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、Ｘ射线衍射(XRD)、紫外-可见吸收光谱(UV)及荧光光谱(PL)等手段对最佳条件下制备的碳量子点进行测试与表征,结果表明,该方法制备的碳量子点量子产率为39.4%,与不掺杂的碳量子点相比其量子产率相对较高,这可能是因为有N元素的存在使得量子产率有所提高;所制备的碳量子点不仅具有丰富的含氧官能团而且抗光漂白性能良好,形态主要是均匀分散的球形,没有明显的晶格条纹,这与相关文献报道的碳量子点的形态相一致,其在250～300 nm有较弱的吸收,但无明显的特征吸收峰,这可能是由于C=O基团的n-π*跃迁引起的;此外,还讨论了氙灯照射时间、pH、碳量子点浓度、不同类型溶剂及离子强度等因素对碳量子点荧光性能的影响,研究结果表明,氙灯照射时间及离子强度对碳量子点荧光性能几乎无影响,在过酸或过碱的条件下其荧光强度相对较弱,原因可能是在过酸或过碱的条件下发生质子化或非质子化的作用导致其荧光强度减弱;且碳量子点溶液随着其浓度的增加,荧光强度先增加后减小;而对于溶剂类型而言,其在极性溶剂中的荧光强度大于其在非极性溶剂中的荧光强度,说明该方法制备的碳量子点具有良好的水溶性。     

Development and Investigation of Ultrastable PbS/CdS/ZnS Quantum Dots for Near‐Infrared Tumor Imaging

Achieving bright, reliable, robust, and stable probes for in vivo imaging is becoming extremely urgent for the cancer imaging research community. To date very few works have reported on elucidating in the varied and chemically complex biological milieu. The authors report detailed investigations of the synthesis of near‐infrared, water dispersive, strongly luminescent, and highly stable PbS/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell quantum dots (QDs). These QDs are extremely stable, they could keep their initial morphology, dispersion status, and photoluminescence (PL) in phosphate buffered saline buffer for as long as 14 months. The QDs also show excellent photostability and could keep ≈80% of their initial PL intensity after 1 h continuous, strong UV illumination. More interestingly, they show negligible toxicity to cultured cells even at high QDs concentration. Given these outstanding properties, the QDs are explored for in vivo, tumor imaging in mice. With one order of magnitude lower QD concentration (0.04 mg mL^–1), significantly weaker laser intensity (0.04 W cm^–2 vs ≈1 W cm^–2), and considerably shorter signal integration time (≤1 ms vs hundreds of ms) as compared to the best reported rare earth doped nanoparticles, the QDs show high emission intensity even at injection depth of ≈2.5 mm.     

Synthesis of Blue‐, Green‐, Yellow‐, and Red‐Emitting Graphene‐Quantum‐Dot‐Based Nanomaterials with Excitation‐Independent Emission

A one‐pot method is described for the preparation of graphene quantum dots/graphene oxide (GQDs/GO) hybrid composites with emission in the visible region, through heteroatom doping and hydroxyl‐radical‐induced decomposition of GO. The NH₄OH‐ and thiourea‐mediated dissociation of H₂O₂ produces hydroxyl radicals. Treatment of GO with hydroxyl radicals results in the production of small‐sized GO sheets and GQDs, which self‐assemble to form GQDs/GO through strong π–π interactions. For example, the reaction of GO with a mixture of NH₄OH and H₂O₂ for 40, 120, and 270 min generates yellow‐emitting GQDs/GO (Y‐GQDs/GO), green‐emitting GQDs/GO, and blue‐emitting GQDs, while red‐emitting GQDs/GO (R‐GQDs/GO) are prepared by incubating GO with a mixture of thiourea and H₂O₂. From the analysis of these four GQD‐based nanomaterials by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy, it is found that this tunable fluorescence wavelength results from the differences in particle size. All four GQD‐based nanomaterials exhibit moderate quantum yields (1–10%), nanosecond fluorescence lifetimes, and excitation‐independent emissions. Except for R‐GQDs/GO, the other three GQD‐based nanomaterials are stable in a high‐concentration salt solution (e.g., 1.6 m NaCl) and under high‐power irradiation, enabling the sensitive (high‐temperature resolution and large activation energy) and reversible detection of temperature change. It is further demonstrated that Y‐GQD/GO can be used to image HeLa cells.     

Bottom‐Up Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots With High Performance Photo‐ and Electroluminescence

Although carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are of great interest because of cost effectiveness and environmental compatibility with the facile tunability of their optical properties, poor photo‐ and electroluminescence (EL) of CQDs limits further implementation. Here, a novel bottom‐up synthetic route for fabricating highly crystalline CQDs suitable for high‐brightness blue light‐emitting diodes is demonstrated. The two‐step solution process is based on time‐controlled thermal carbonization of citric acid, followed by ligand exchange of the CQDs with oleylamine (OA) in solution. Carbonization allows for the nucleation and growth of crystalline CQDs, while OA treatment disperses the CQDs and stabilizes the solution, giving rise to CQDs with low structural defects and uniform sizes. The systematic study reveals the origin of the light emission of OA‐treated CQDs by photoluminescence (PL) analysis, which yields a high quantum efficiency of ≈30%. The photoluminescence‐optimized OA‐treated CQDs exhibit excellent blue EL performance with a low turn‐on voltage of ≈4 V and high brightness of 308 cd m⁻²; a negligible voltage‐dependent color shift when they are employed to an inverted light‐emitting diode.     

State‐of‐the‐Art and Trends in Synthesis,Properties, and Application of Quantum Dots‐Based Nanomaterials

Quantum dots (QDs) with a nanoscale size range have attracted significant attention in various areas of nanotechnology due to their unique properties. Different strategies for the synthesis of QD nanoparticles are reported in which various factors, such as size, impurities, shape, and crystallinity, affect the QDs fundamental properties. Consequently, to obtain QDs with appropriate physical properties, it is required to select a synthesis method which allows enough control over the surface chemistry of QDs through fine‐tuning of the synthesis parameters. Moreover, QDs nanocrystals are recently used in multidisciplinary research integrated with biological interfaces. The state‐of‐the‐art methods for synthesizing QDs and bioconjugation strategies to provide insight into various applications of these nanomaterials are discussed herein.