Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots are a family of solution made, optically active materials comprised of a crystalline inorganic core and a surface-stabilizing layer of organic ligands. Inspired by our prior work on metal-catalyzed polyolefin synthesis and characterization in the Jordan group (postdoctoral, 2005-2006), we have started a multipronged research effort to chemically manipulate and characterize the surface microstructure of colloidal nanocrystal quantum dots. Like polyolefins, most inorganic surface capping ligands are long chain hydrocarbons containing a metal binding head group, and other chemically and magnetically distinct functional groups, such as in oleic acid and oleyl amine. These surface ligands are thus amenable to advanced spectroscopic characterization, notable by one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance; they are also amenable to chemical modification by contemporary methods such as click chemistry or radical polymerization. Specific areas we are working on include: (1) Development of fundamentally new surface ligand doping strategies that enable to control the degree of functionalization or valence per nanocrystal while retaining its original colloidal and photo stability; (2) synthesizing modular functional polydentate ligands for surface-doping and studying their ligand exchange behavior with quantum dots; and (3) exploring the use of surface-doped quantum dots for lanthanide optical activation and rationing of rare earths. We predict that success of this research will result in powerful strategies to fabricate, assemble and discover functional nanomaterials for imaging, catalysis, energy and biology.

From Hyde Park to Ames: An organometallics- and polyolefins-inspired approach to chemical surface modification of colloidal nanocrystal quantum dots

251st National Meeting (2016)

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