Stereoelectronic Effects on the Binding of Neutral Lewis Bases to CdSe Nanocrystals

Ligand Tail Controls the Conformation of Indium Sulfide Ultrathin Nanoribbons

We report the conformational control of 2D ultrathin indium sulfide nanoribbons by tuning their amine ligands' alkyl chain. The initial orthorhombic InS nanoribbons bare n-octylamine ligands and display a highly curved geometry with a characteristic figure of eight shapes. Exchanging the native ligand by oleylamine induces their complete unfolding to yield flat board-shaped nanoribbons. Significant strain variations in the InS crystal structure accompany this shape-shifting. By tuning the linear alkyl chain length from 4 to 18 carbon atoms, we show using small-angle X-ray scattering in solution and transmission electron microscopy that the curvature of the nanoribbon subtly depends on the ligand-ligand interactions at the nanoribbon's surface. The curvature decreases gradually as the chain length increases, while carbon unsaturation has an unexpectedly significant effect at constant chain length. These experiments shed light on the critical role of the ligand monolayer on the curvature of ultrathin 2D crystalline nanosheets and demonstrate that weak supramolecular forces within the organic part of colloidal nanocrystals can dramatically impact their shape. This transduction mechanism, in which changes in the organic monolayer impact the shape of a nanocrystal, will help to devise new strategies to design stimuli-responsive systems that take advantage of both the flexibility of organic moieties and the physical properties of the inorganic core.

Metal Fluorides Passivate II-VI and III-V Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) with metal fluoride surface ligands were prepared via reaction with anhydrous oleylammonium fluoride. Carboxylate terminated II-VI QDs underwent carboxylate for fluoride exchange, while InP QDs underwent photochemical acidolysis yielding oleylamine, PH3, and InF3. The final photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) reached 83% for InP and near unity for core-shell QDs. Core-only CdS QDs showed dramatic improvements in PLQY, but only after exposure to air. Following etching, the InP QDs were bound by oleylamine ligands that were characterized by the frequency and breadth of the corresponding ν(N-H) bands in the infrared absorption spectrum. The fluoride content (1.6-9.2 nm-2) was measured by titration with chlorotrimethylsilane and compared with the oleylamine content (2.3-5.1 nm-2) supporting the formation of densely covered surfaces. The influence of metal fluoride adsorption on the air stability of QDs is discussed.

Molecular-Scale Visualization of Steric Effects of Ligand Binding to Reconstructed Au(111) Surfaces

Direct imaging of single molecules at nanostructured interfaces is a grand challenge with potential to enable new, precise material architectures and technologies. Of particular interest are the structural morphology and spectroscopic signatures of the adsorbed molecule, where modern probes are only now being developed with the necessary spatial and energetic resolution to provide detailed information at the molecule-surface interface. Here, we directly characterize the adsorption of individual m-terphenyl isocyanide ligands on a reconstructed Au(111) surface through scanning tunneling microscopy and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy. The site-dependent steric pressure of the various surface features alters the vibrational fingerprints of the m-terphenyl isocyanides, which are characterized with single-molecule precision through joint experimental and theoretical approaches. This study provides molecular-level insights into the steric-pressure-enabled surface binding selectivity as well as its effect on the chemical properties of individual surface-binding ligands.

Obviating Ligand Exchange Preserves the Intact Surface of HgTe Colloidal Quantum Dots and Enhances Performance of Short Wavelength Infrared Photodetectors

A large volume, scalable synthesis procedure of HgTe quantum dots (QDs) capped initially with short-chain conductive ligands ensures ligand exchange-free and simple device fabrication. An effective n- or p-type self-doping of HgTe QDs is achieved by varying cation-anion ratio, as well as shifting the Fermi level position by introducing single- or double-cyclic thiol ligands, that is, 2-furanmethanethiol (FMT) or 2,5-dimercapto-3,4-thiadiasole (DMTD) in the synthesis. This allows for preserving the intact surface of the HgTe QDs, thus ensuring a one order of magnitude reduced surface trap density compared with HgTe subjected to solid-state ligand exchange. The charge carrier diffusion length can be extended from 50 to 90 nm when the device active area consists of a bi-layer of cation-rich HgTe QDs capped with DMTD and FMT, respectively. As a result, the responsivity under 1340 nm illumination is boosted to 1 AW-1 at zero bias and up to 40 AW-1 under -1 V bias at room temperature. Due to high noise current density, the specific detectivity of these photodetectors reaches up to 1010 Jones at room temperature and under an inert atmosphere. Meanwhile, high photoconductive gain ensures a rise in the external quantum efficiency of up to 1000% under reverse bias.

Quantum Dot Fluorescent Imaging: Using Atomic Structure Correlation Studies to Improve Photophysical Properties

Efforts to study intricate, higher-order cellular functions have called for fluorescence imaging under physiologically relevant conditions such as tissue systems in simulated native buffers. This endeavor has presented novel challenges for fluorescent probes initially designed for use in simple buffers and monolayer cell culture. Among current fluorescent probes, semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots (QDs), offer superior photophysical properties that are the products of their nanoscale architectures and chemical formulations. While their high brightness and photostability are ideal for these biological environments, even state of the art QDs can struggle under certain physiological conditions. A recent method correlating electron microscopy ultrastructure with single-QD fluorescence has begun to highlight subtle structural defects in QDs once believed to have no significant impact on photoluminescence (PL). Specific defects, such as exposed core facets, have been shown to quench QD PL in physiologically accurate conditions. For QD-based imaging in complex cellular systems to be fully realized, mechanistic insight and structural optimization of size and PL should be established. Insight from single QD resolution atomic structure and photophysical correlative studies provides a direct course to synthetically tune QDs to match these challenging environments.

Curvature-Selective Nanocrystal Surface Ligation Using Sterically-Encumbered Metal-Coordinating Ligands

Organic ligands are critical in determining the physiochemical properties of inorganic nanocrystals. However, precise nanocrystal surface modification is extremely difficult to achieve. Most research focuses on finding ligands that fully passivate the nanocrystal surface, with an emphasis on the supramolecular structure generated by the ligand shell. Inspired by molecular metal-coordination complexes, we devised an approach based on ligand anchoring groups that are flanked by encumbering organic substituents and are chemoselective for binding to nanocrystal corner, edge, and facet sites. Through experiment and theory, we affirmed that the surface-ligand steric pressures generated by these organic substituents are significant enough to impede binding to regions of low nanocurvature, such as nanocrystal facets, and to promote binding to regions of high curvature such as nanocrystal edges.

Coordination of Quantum Dots in a Polar Solvent by Small-Molecule Imidazole Ligands

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are attractive fluorophores for bioimaging and biomedical applications because of their favorable and tunable optoelectronic properties. In this study, the native hydrophobic ligand environment of oleate-capped sphalerite CdSe/ZnS core/shell QDs was quantitatively exchanged with a set of imidazole-bearing small-molecule ligands. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and ¹H NMR were used to identify and quantify three different ligand exchange processes: Z-type dissociation of the Zn(oleate)₂, L-type association of the imidazole, and X-type anionic exchange of oleate with Cl^-, all of which contributed to the overall ligand exchange.

CdS Quantum Dots as Potent Photoreductants for Organic Chemistry Enabled by Auger Processes

Strong reducing agents (<-2.0 V vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) enable a wide array of useful organic chemistry, but suffer from a variety of limitations. Stoichiometric metallic reductants such as alkali metals and SmI₂ are commonly employed for these reactions; however, considerations including expense, ease of use, safety, and waste generation limit the practicality of these methods. Recent approaches utilizing energy from multiple photons or electron-primed photoredox catalysis have accessed reduction potentials equivalent to Li⁰ and shown how this enables selective transformations of aryl chlorides via aryl radicals. However, in some cases, low stability of catalytic intermediates can limit turnover numbers. Herein, we report the ability of CdS nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) to function as strong photoreductants and present evidence that a highly reducing electron is generated from two consecutive photoexcitations of CdS QDs with intermediate reductive quenching. Mechanistic experiments suggest that Auger recombination, a photophysical phenomenon known to occur in photoexcited anionic QDs, generates transient thermally excited electrons to enable the observed reductions. Using blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sacrificial amine reductants, aryl chlorides and phosphate esters with reduction potentials up to -3.4 V vs SCE are photoreductively cleaved to afford hydrodefunctionalized or functionalized products. In contrast to small-molecule catalysts, QDs are stable under these conditions and turnover numbers up to 47 500 have been achieved. These conditions can also effect other challenging reductions, such as tosylate protecting group removal from amines, debenzylation of benzyl-protected alcohols, and reductive ring opening of cyclopropane carboxylic acid derivatives.

The Chemistry of Cu3 N and Cu3 PdN Nanocrystals

The precursor conversion chemistry and surface chemistry of Cu₃ N and Cu₃ PdN nanocrystals are unknown or contested. Here, we first obtain phase-pure, colloidally stable nanocubes. Second, we elucidate the pathway by which copper(II) nitrate and oleylamine form Cu₃ N. We find that oleylamine is both a reductant and a nitrogen source. Oleylamine is oxidized by nitrate to a primary aldimine, which reacts further with excess oleylamine to a secondary aldimine, eliminating ammonia. Ammonia reacts with Cu^I to form Cu₃ N. Third, we investigated the surface chemistry and find a mixed ligand shell of aliphatic amines and carboxylates (formed in situ). While the carboxylates appear tightly bound, the amines are easily desorbed from the surface. Finally, we show that doping with palladium decreases the band gap and the material becomes semi-metallic. These results bring insight into the chemistry of metal nitrides and might help the development of other metal nitride nanocrystals.

Monoalkyl Phosphinic Acids as Ligands in Nanocrystal Synthesis

Ligands play a crucial role in the synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals. Nevertheless, only a handful molecules are currently used, oleic acid being the most typical example. Here, we show that monoalkyl phosphinic acids are another interesting ligand class, forming metal complexes with a reactivity that is intermediate between the traditional carboxylates and phosphonates. We first present the synthesis of n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, n-tetradecyl, n-octadecyl, and oleylphosphinic acid. These compounds are suitable ligands for high-temperature nanocrystal synthesis (240-300 °C) since, in contrast to phosphonic acids, they do not form anhydride oligomers. Consequently, CdSe quantum dots synthesized with octadecylphosphinic acid are conveniently purified, and their UV-vis spectrum is free from background scattering. The CdSe nanocrystals have a low polydispersity and a photoluminescence quantum yield up to 18% (without shell). Furthermore, we could synthesize CdSe and CdS nanorods using phosphinic acid ligands with high shape purity. We conclude that the reactivity toward TOP-S and TOP-Se precursors decreases in the following series: cadmium carboxylate > cadmium phosphinate > cadmium phosphonate. By introducing a third and intermediate class of surfactants, we enhance the versatility of surfactant-assisted syntheses.

Mechanistic Insight into the Precursor Chemistry of ZrO2 and HfO2 Nanocrystals; towards Size-Tunable Syntheses

One can nowadays readily generate monodisperse colloidal nanocrystals, but a retrosynthetic analysis is still not possible since the underlying chemistry is often poorly understood. Here, we provide insight into the reaction mechanism of colloidal zirconia and hafnia nanocrystals synthesized from metal chloride and metal isopropoxide. We identify the active precursor species in the reaction mixture through a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. We gain insight into the interaction of the surfactant, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO), and the different precursors. Interestingly, we identify a peculiar X-type ligand redistribution mechanism that can be steered by the relative amount of Lewis base (L-type). We further monitor how the reaction mixture decomposes using solution NMR and gas chromatography, and we find that ZrCl₄ is formed as a by-product of the reaction, limiting the reaction yield. The reaction proceeds via two competing mechanisms: E1 elimination (dominating) and S_N1 substitution (minor). Using this new mechanistic insight, we adapted the synthesis to optimize the yield and gain control over nanocrystal size. These insights will allow the rational design and synthesis of complex oxide nanocrystals.

Organic building blocks at inorganic nanomaterial interfaces

This tutorial review presents our perspective on designing organic molecules for the functionalization of inorganic nanomaterial surfaces, through the model of an "anchor-functionality" paradigm. This "anchor-functionality" paradigm is a streamlined design strategy developed from a comprehensive range of materials (e.g., lead halide perovskites, II-VI semiconductors, III-V semiconductors, metal oxides, diamonds, carbon dots, silicon, etc.) and applications (e.g., light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, lasers, photonic cavities, photocatalysis, fluorescence imaging, photo dynamic therapy, drug delivery, etc.). The structure of this organic interface modifier comprises two key components: anchor groups binding to inorganic surfaces and functional groups that optimize their performance in specific applications. To help readers better understand and utilize this approach, the roles of different anchor groups and different functional groups are discussed and explained through their interactions with inorganic materials and external environments.

Thermodynamics of nanocrystal–ligand binding through isothermal titration calorimetry

Manipulations of nanocrystal (NC) surfaces have propelled the applications of colloidal NCs across various fields such as bioimaging, catalysis, electronics, and sensing applications.

Resorcin[4]arene-based multidentate phosphate ligands with superior binding affinity for nanocrystal surfaces

We designed and synthesized two resorcin[4]arene scaffolds with four phosphate binding groups. The ligands effectively bind in at least a tridentate fashion at low surface coverage. The superior binding affinity is demonstrated using solution NMR spectroscopy and exceeds that of single phosphonates.

Modeling Equilibrium Binding at Quantum Dot Surfaces Using Cyclic Voltammetry

Cyclic voltammetry is demonstrated as a useful method to model equilibrium binding between quantum dots and redox active small molecules. Specifically, the interaction of a library of ferrocene derivatives with CdSe quantum dots is examined. For the strongly interacting systems, ferrocene carboxylic acid (FcCOOH) and ferrocene hexanethiol (Fc-hexSH), the binding equilibria can be quantitatively deduced by modeling the cyclic voltammetry data. This modeling allows extraction of the diffusion coefficients, equilibrium constants associated with both the reduced and oxidized species, and forward and reverse rates associated with binding for both the reduced and oxidized species. Taken together these data give direct insight into the binding of small molecules to quantum-dot surfaces as a function of oxidation state, critical information for the design of quantum dots as photoredox catalysts and charge transfer mediators.

Ligands as a universal molecular toolkit in synthesis and assembly of semiconductor nanocrystals

The multiple ligands with different functionalities enable atomic-precision control of NCs morphology and subtle inter-NC interactions, which paves the way for novel optoelectronic applications.

Successful exploitation of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) in commercial products is due to the remarkable progress in the wet-chemical synthesis and controlled assembly of NCs. Central to the cadence of this progress is the ability to understand how NC growth and assembly can be controlled kinetically and thermodynamically. The arrested precipitation strategy offers a wide opportunity for materials selection, size uniformity, and morphology control. In this colloidal approach, capping ligands play an instrumental role in determining growth parameters and inter-NC interactions. The impetus for exquisite control over the size and shape of NCs and orientation of NCs in an ensemble has called for the use of two or more types of ligands in the system. In multiple ligand approaches, ligands with different functionalities confer extended tunability, hinting at the possibility of atomic-precision growth and long-range ordering of desired superlattices. Here, we highlight the progress in understanding the roles of ligands in size and shape control and assembly of NCs. We discuss the implication of the advances in the context of optoelectronic applications.

Surface Ligand Engineering for Efficient Perovskite Nanocrystal-Based Light-Emitting Diodes

Lead halide perovskites (LHPs) are emerging as promising materials for light-emitting device applications because of the tunability of the band gap, narrow emission, solution processability, and flexibility. Typically, LHP nanocrystals (NCs) with surface ligands show high photoluminescence quantum yields because of charge-carrier confinement with higher exciton binding energy ( E_b). However, the conventionally used oleylamine (OAm) ligands result in the low electrical conductivity and stability of perovskite NCs (PNCs) because of a long carbon chain without conjugation bonds and weak interaction with the surface of NCs. Here, we report the effect of bulkiness and chain length of ligand materials on the properties and stability of CsPbBr₃ PNCs by replacing OAm with other suitable ligands. The effect of the bulkiness of quaternary ammonium bromide (QAB) ligands was systemically studied. The less bulky QAB ligands surrounded the surface of NCs effectively, and brought better surface passivation and less aggregation compared to bulky QAB ligands, and finally the optical property and stability of CsPbBr₃ PNCs were enhanced. Furthermore, the electrical property of CsPbBr₃ PNCs was optimized by tuning the long-chain length of QAB ligands for balanced charge-carrier transport. Finally, we achieved highly efficient green emissive CsPbBr₃ PNC light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using PNCs with optimized didecyldimethyl ammonium bromide ligands with a current efficiency of 31.7 cd A^-1 and external quantum efficiency of 9.7%, which were enhanced 16-fold compared to those of CsPbBr₃ LEDs using PNCs with conventional OAm ligands.