Fabrication of transition metal dichalcogenides quantum dots based on femtosecond laser ablation

Elucidating the Role of Electron Transfer in the Photoluminescence of MoS2 Quantum Dots Synthesized by fs-Pulse Ablation

Herein, MoS2 quantum dots (QDs) with controlled optical, structural, and electronic properties are synthesized using the femtosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid (fs-PLAL) technique by varying the pulse width, ablation power, and ablation time to harness the potential for next-generation optoelectronics and quantum technology. Furthermore, this work elucidates key aspects of the mechanisms underlying the near-UV and blue emissions the accompanying large Stokes shift, and the consequent change in sample color with laser exposure parameters pertaining to MoS2 QDs. Through spectroscopic analysis, including UV-visible absorption, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy, we successfully unraveled the mechanisms for the change in optoelectronic properties of MoS2 QDs with laser parameters. We realize that the occurrence of a secondary phase, specifically MoO3-x, is responsible for the significant Stokes shift and blue emission observed in this QD system. The primary factor influencing these activities is the electron transfer observed between these two phases, as validated by excitation-dependent photoluminescence and XPS and Raman spectroscopies.

An insight into the dual role of MoS2-based nanocarriers in anticancer drug delivery and therapy

Over the years, nanomaterials have been exploited as drug delivery systems and therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. Special emphasis has been placed on structure and shape-mediated drug loading and release. Functional materials, including molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have shown promising results because of their tunable structure and unmatched physicochemical properties. Specifically, easy surface functionalization and high drug adsorption ability make them ideal candidates. Although the large surface area of nanosheets/nanoflakes may result in high drug loading, the encapsulation efficiency is better for MoS2 nanoflower structures. Due to its high targeting abilities, the loading of chemotherapeutic drugs onto MoS2 may minimize nonspecific cellular death and undesired side effects. Furthermore, due to their strong light-absorption ability, MoS2 nanostructures have been widely exploited as photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic agents. The unexplored dimensions of cancer therapy, including chemodynamic (Fenton-like reaction) and piezo-catalytic (ultrasound-mediated reactive oxygen generation), have been recently unlocked, in which the catalytic properties of MoS2 are utilized to generate toxic free radicals to eliminate cancer. Intriguingly, combining these therapeutic modalities often results in high therapeutic efficacy at low doses and minimizes side effects. With a plethora of recent studies, a thorough analysis of current findings is crucial. Therefore, this review discusses the major advances in this field of research. A brief commentary on the limitations/future outlook/ethical issues of the clinical translation of MoS2-mediated cancer treatments is also deliberated. Overall, in our observations, the MoS2-based nanoformulations hold great potential for future cancer therapy applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Development of nanomedicines based on MoS2 has opened new avenues in cancer treatment. The MoS2 with different morphologies (nanosheet/nanoflower/QDs) has shown promising results in controlled and targeted drug delivery, leading to minimized side effects and increased therapeutic efficacy. While existing reviews have primarily focused on the optical/thermal properties utilized in photodynamic/photothermal therapy, the outstanding catalytic properties of MoS2 utilized in cancer therapies (chemodynamic/piezo-catalytic) are often overlooked. This review critically highlights and praises/criticizes individual articles reporting the MoS2-based nanoplatforms for cancer therapy applications. Additionally, MoS2-based combined therapies for synergistic effects are discussed. Furthermore, a brief commentary on the future prospects for clinical translations is also deliberated, which is appealing to various research communities engaged in cancer theranostics and biomedical sciences research.

Morphology Transition with Temperature and its Effect on Optical Properties of Colloidal MoS2 Nanostructures

Morphology plays a crucial role in determining the chemical and optical properties of nanomaterials due to confinement effects. We report the morphology transition of colloidal molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanostructures, synthesized by a one-pot heat-up method, from a mix of quantum dots (QDs) and nanosheets to predominantly nanorods by varying the synthesis reaction temperature from 90 to 160 °C. The stoichiometry and composition of the synthesized QDs, nanosheets, and nanorods were quantified to be MoS2 using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. A nanostructure morphology transition due to variation in the reaction temperature resulted in a photoluminescence quantum yield enhancement from 0 to 4.4% on increasing the temperature from 90 to 120 °C. On further increase in the temperature to 160 °C, a decrease in the quantum yield to 3.06% is observed. Red-shifts of ≈18 and ≈140 nm in the emission maxima and absorption edge, respectively, are observed for the synthesized nanostructures with an increase in the reaction temperature from 90 to 160 °C. The change in the quantum yield is attributed to the change in shape and hence confinement of charge carriers. To the best of our knowledge, microscopic analysis of variation in shape and optical properties of colloidal MoS2 nanostructures with temperature, explained by a nonclassical growth mechanism is presented here for the first time.

The Mechanical Properties Relationship of Radiation-Cured Nanocomposites Based on Acrylates and Cationic Polymerized Epoxies and the Composition of Silane-Modified Tungsten Disulfide Nanoparticles

The effect of semiconducting tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanoparticles (NPs), functionalized by either methacryloxy, glycidyl, vinyl, or amino silanes, has been studied in photocuring of acrylate and epoxy resins (the latter photocured according to a cationic mechanism). The curing time, degree of curing (DC), thermal effects, and mechanical properties of the radiation-cured resins were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirmed that a silane coating was formed (1-4 nm) on the NPs' surface having a thickness of 1-4 nm. Fourier transition infrared (FTIR) was used to determine the DC of the nanocomposite resin. The curing time of the epoxy resin, at 345-385 nm wavelength, was 10 to 20 s, while for acrylate, the curing time was 7.5 min, reaching 92% DC in epoxy and 84% in acrylate. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the photocured acrylates in the presence of WS₂ NPs increased. In contrast to the acrylate, the epoxy displayed no significant variations of the Tg. It was found that the silane surface treatments enhanced the DC. Significant increases in impact resistance and enhancement in shear adhesion strength were observed when the NPs were treated with vinyl silane. A previous study has shown that the addition of WS₂ NPs at a concentration of 0.5 wt.% is the optimal loading for improving the resin's mechanical properties. This study supports these earlier findings not only for the unmodified NPs but also for those functionalized with silane moieties. This study opens new vistas for the photocuring of resins and polymers in general when incorporating WS₂ NPs.

Exfoliation of MoS2 Quantum Dots: Recent Progress and Challenges

Although, quantum dots (QDs) of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have shown great potential for various applications, such as sensing, catalysis, energy storage, and electronics. However, the lack of a simple, scalable, and inexpensive fabrication method for QDs is still a challenge. To overcome this challenge, a lot of attention has been given to the fabrication of QDs, and several fabrication strategies have been established. These exfoliation processes are mainly divided into two categories, the 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' methods. In this review, we have discussed different top-down exfoliation methods used for the fabrication of MoS2 QDs and the advantages and limitations of these methods. A detailed description of the various properties of QDs is also presented.

Metallic Phase Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Quantum Dots as Promising Bio-Imaging Materials

Transition metal dichalcogenide-based quantum dots are promising materials for applications in diverse fields, such as sensors, electronics, catalysis, and biomedicine, because of their outstanding physicochemical properties. In this study, we propose bio-imaging characteristics through utilizing water-soluble MoS2 quantum dots (MoS2-QDs) with two different sizes (i.e., ~5 and ~10 nm). The structural and optical properties of the fabricated metallic phase MoS2-QDs (m-MoS2-QDs) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The synthesized m-MoS2-QDs showed clear photophysical characteristic peaks derived from the quantum confinement effect and defect sites, such as oxygen functional groups. When the diameter of the synthesized m-MoS2-QD was decreased, the emission peak was blue-shifted from 436 to 486 nm under excitation by a He-Cd laser (325 nm). Density functional theory calculations confirmed that the size decrease of m-MoS2-QDs led to an increase in the bandgap because of quantum confinement effects. In addition, when incorporated into the bio-imaging of HeLa cells, m-MoS2-QDs were quite biocompatible with bright luminescence and exhibited low toxicity. Our results are commercially applicable for achieving high-performance bio-imaging probes.

Low Temperature Step Annealing Synthesis of the Ti2AlN MAX Phase to Fabricate MXene Quantum Dots

We present the synthesis of the Ti2AlN MAX phase using two-step annealing at temperatures of 600 °C and 1100 °C, the lowest synthesis temperatures reported so far. After the successful synthesis of the Ti2AlN MAX phase, two-dimensional Ti2N MXene was prepared through wet chemical etching and further fragmented into light emitting MXene quantum dots (MQDs) with a size of 3.2 nm by hydrothermal method. Our MQDs displayed a 6.9% quantum yield at a 310 nm wavelength of excitation, suggesting promising nanophotonic applications.

Excitons and Trions in MoS2 Quantum Dots: The Influence of the Dispersing Medium

Single-layer MoS₂ has been reported to exhibit strong excitonic and trionic signatures in its photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Here, we report that the emission spectra of MoS₂ QDs strongly depend on the dielectric constant of the solvent and the relative difference in the electronegativity between the solvent and QDs. Due to the difference in electronegativity, electrons are either added to the QD or withdrawn from it. Consequently, depending upon the dielectric permittivity and the electronegativity of the surrounding medium, the signature peaks of excitons and trions exhibit a significant change in the PL spectra of MoS₂ QDs. Our findings are helpful to understand the effect of the surrounding environment on the optical properties of QDs and the importance of the selection of solvent since MoS₂ QDs are potential candidates for valleytronics applications.

Tunable Conductance of MoS2 and WS2 Quantum Dots by Electron Transfer with Redox-Active Quinone

Due to their uniqueness in tunable photophysics, transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) based quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as the next-generation quantum materials for technology-based semiconductor applications. This demands frontline research on the rational synthesis of the TMD QDs with controlled shape, size, nature of charge migration at the interface, and their easy integration in optoelectronic devices. In this article, with a controlled solution-processed synthesis of MoS₂ and WS₂ QDs, we demonstrate the disparity in their structural, optical, and electrical characteristics in bulk and confinement. With a series of steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements in different media, we explore the uncommon photophysics of MoS₂ and WS₂ QDs such as excitation-dependent photoluminescence and assess their excited state charge transfer kinetics with a redox-active biomolecule, menadione (MQ). In comparison to the homogeneous aqueous medium, photoinduced charge transfer between the QDs and MQ becomes more plausible in encapsulated cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles. Current sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM) measurements at a single molecular level reveal that the facilitated charge transfer of QDs with MQ strongly correlates with an enhancement in their charge transport behavior. An increase in charge transport further depends on the density of states of the QDs directing a change in Schottky emission to Fowler-Nordheim (FN) type of tunneling across the metal-QD-metal junction. The selective response of the TMD QDs while in proximity to external molecules can be used to design advanced optoelectronic devices and applications involving rectifiers and tunnel diodes for future quantum technology.

Photo-exfoliation of MoS2quantum dots from nanosheets: anin situtransmission electron microscopy study

Fabrication of transition metal dichalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) is complex and requires submerging powders in binary solvents and constant tuning of wavelength and pulsed frequency of light to achieve a desired reaction. Instead of liquid state photoexfoliation, we utilize infrared laser irradiation of free-standing MoS₂flakes in transmission electron microscope (TEM) to achieve solid-state multi-level photoexfoliation of QDs. By investigating the steps involved in photochemical reaction between the surface of MoS₂and the laser beam, we gain insight into each step of the photoexfoliation mechanism and observe high yield production of QDs, led by an inhomogeneous crystalline size distribution. Additionally, by using a laser with a lower energy than the indirect optical transition of bulk MoS₂, we conclude that the underlying phenomena behind the photoexfoliation is from multi-photon absorption achieved at high optical outputs from the laser source. These findings provide an environmentally friendly synthesis method to fabricate QDs for potential applications in biomedicine, optoelectronics, and fluorescence sensing.

Lab-on-a-Contact Lens Platforms Fabricated by Multi-Axis Femtosecond Laser Ablation

Contact lens sensing platforms have drawn interest in the last decade for the possibility of providing a sterile, fully integrated ocular screening technology. However, designing scalable and rapid contact lens processing methods while keeping a high resolution is still an unsolved challenge. In this article, femtosecond laser writing is employed as a rapid and precise procedure to engrave microfluidic networks into commercial contact lenses. Functional microfluidic components such as flow valves, resistors, multi-inlet geometries, and splitters are produced using a bespoke seven-axis femtosecond laser system, yielding a resolution of 80 µm. The ablation process and the tear flow within microfluidic structures is evaluated both experimentally and computationally using finite element modeling. Flow velocity drops of the 8.3%, 20.8%, and 29% were observed in valves with enlargements of the 100%, 200%, and 300%, respectively. Resistors yielded flow rate drops of 20.8%, 33%, and 50% in the small, medium, and large configurations, respectively. Two applications were introduced, namely a tear volume sensor and a tear uric acid sensor (sensitivity 16 mg L^-1 ), which are both painless alternatives to current methods and provide reduced contamination risks of tear samples.

Laser ablation in air and its application in catalytic water splitting and Li-ion battery

Pulse laser has been widely used in both fundamental science and practical technologies. In this perspective, we highlight the employment of pulse laser ablation in air (LAA) in energy-related catalytic reactions. With LAA, samples are directly ablated in ambient air, which makes this technology facile to conduct. Materials can be modified by LAA in multiple aspects, such as morphology modulation, heterojunction fabrication, or defects engineering, which are desired features for energy-related catalytic reactions. We begin this perspective with a brief introduction of this technology, including the mechanism, the experimental setup, and the characteristic of laser-ablated materials. The recent works utilizing LAA are then summarized to prove the promising prospects of LAA in the energy field. Finally, several opportunities about the future usage of LAA are proposed and discussed.

Gas-Phase Formation of Highly Luminescent 2D GaSe Nanoparticle Ensembles in a Nonequilibrium Laser Ablation Process

Interest in layered two-dimensional (2D) materials has been escalating rapidly over the past few decades due to their promising optoelectronic and photonic properties emerging from their atomically thin 2D structural confinements. When these 2D materials are further confined in lateral dimensions toward zero-dimensional (0D) structures, 2D nanoparticles and quantum dots with new properties can be formed. Here, we report a nonequilibrium gas-phase synthesis method for the stoichiometric formation of gallium selenide (GaSe) nanoparticles ensembles that can potentially serve as quantum dots. We show that the laser ablation of a target in an argon background gas condenses the laser-generated plume, resulting in the formation of metastable nanoparticles in the gas phase. The deposition of these nanoparticles onto the substrate results in the formation of nanoparticle ensembles, which are then post-processed to crystallize or sinter the nanoparticles. The effects of background gas pressures, in addition to crystallization/sintering temperatures, are systematically studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) measurements are used to study the correlations between growth parameters, morphology, and optical properties of the fabricated 2D nanoparticle ensembles.

Lysine-Functionalized Tungsten Disulfide Quantum Dots as Artificial Enzyme Mimics for Oxidative Stress Biomarker Sensing

The color generating from the biochemical reaction between 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and Lysine@WS₂ QDs was used a signal for the detection of hydrogen peroxide. The QDs were prepared using a combination of techniques, that is, probe sonication and hydrothermal treatment. Analysis via UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy yielded detailed information on the nature and characteristics of these quantum dots. Furthermore, as-synthesized quantum dots were studied for their capability to mimic peroxidase enzyme using 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine as a substrate. Consequently, a colorimetric sensor utilizing Lysine@WS₂ QDs could detect hydrogen peroxide in a range of 0.1-60 μM with a response time of 5 min. The same material was used for H₂O₂ detection using impedance spectroscopy, which yielded a dynamic range of 0.1-350 μM with a response time of 30-40 s.