A novel strategy towards designing a CdSe quantum dot–metallohydrogel composite material

Abstract

We have described here an efficient method to disperse hydrophobic CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in an aqueous phase using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles without any surface ligand exchange. The water soluble QDs were then embedded in 3D self assembled fibrillar networks (SAFINs) of a hydrogel showing homogeneous dispersibility as evidenced from optical and electron microscopic techniques. The photophysical studies of the hydrogel-QD composite are reported for the first time. These composite materials may have potential applications in biology, optoelectronics, sensors, non-linear optics and materials science.

Composite Films of CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals in a Hydrophobic Fluoropolymer for Temperature Imaging in Digital Microfluidics

“…Finding appropriate host matrices and developing suitable fabrication methods is thus crucial to secure the extension of applications of perovskite NCs into sensors and other functional devices. − Several factors have to be taken into account, such as the dispersibility of perovskite NCs in host matrices and ensuring appropriate stability of the resulting composites in aqueous or humid environments. Various polymers were studied as matrices to load perovskite NCs with the goal of achieving their long-term stabilization. − For example, hydrophobic material, fluoroalkyl silane, was coated over CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 to reach better stability and maintain the efficiency of a solar cell in a humid environment for more than 500 h . Another hydrophobic polymer, Teflon AF, was coated on CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite films to improve their stability in solar cells …”

Reusable Xerogel Containing Quantum Dots with High Fluorescence Retention

“…Even though the Eychmüller group improved the traditional sol-gel method and entrapped tyrosinase with high activity, it was still time-consuming [18]. Some other strategies based on the QDs inter-particle assembly have been developed to promote sol-gel transition, in which the elaborate design on the QDs surface was necessary [8,19,20,21,22,23,24]. A better choice to simplify the preparation procedure is constructing polymer–QDs structure.…”

Quantum Dots: A Review from Concept to Clinic

“…Briefly, in this approach, the main interaction is related to the alkyl chains of the amphiphilic agent with the n-octyl groups of the hydrophobic ligands of QDs' surface (e.g., TOP or TOPO) via hydrophobic bonds. [120] In addition to amphiphilic oligomers, a couple of surfactants are also used to make desirable modifications, including cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), [131] gemini surfactants, [132] and pegylated-phospholipids. [133] As previously noted, two types of amphiphilic polymers have been used with reference to this strategy, including phospholipidtype low-molecular-weight polymers and high-molecular-weight polymers.…”