But in thirst of getting quantum dots to perform the things that we wish them to do, they sometimes require to be doped with imperfections in order to transform their properties. It is where things get complex: Quantum dots are so tiny that the dopants make them shake back out of them. The fortunate fact is that – One of the more popularly utilized methods for introducing such other molecule to quantum dots – something is known as ‘click chemistry’ – links molecules together in a way that is comparatively easy and lead to conveniently removable by-products.
Figure 1: New Production Process Retains Photoluminescence of Quantum Dots
There is but also a bad news – the click chemistry method, which is the most appealing for quantum dot utilizes copper to catalyse the reaction. But the ions based on copper end up stripping off the quantum dots of their photoluminescence.
Now scientists at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, as well as the Faculty of Chemistry of the Warsaw, University of Technology, have introduced a technique that sustains the click chemistry of copper catalyst, but protects it stripping the quantum dots of their feature of photoluminescence. All this seems to bring out great developments and turn out to be enhancing the quality of quantum dots.
According to the details of this study, the Polish scientists generated zinc-oxide quantum dots that have exterior shells safeguarding them from the troubling copper ions. Presently, quantum dots are generated in a sol-gel process that leads to some of them having a disturbing protective shell that enables the copper ions to come in straight contact with the exterior surface of the quantum dots.
A Ph.D. student from Malgorzata Wolska – Pietkiewicz at FC WUT, who participated in the experimental study, detailed out in a press release the key feature of the quantum dots in this procedure.
The results showcase that for the very first time it has been possible to generate quantum dots from organometallic percursors in a method that aids them to retain their quality optical features after being exposed to click reactions of the copper based catalyst.
Conclusion – According to Janusz Lewinski, a head scientists and a lecturer at meetings at both school, “quantum dots prepared in their novel process will prove to be specifically beneficial in medical imaging technologies as they do not clump together, are non-toxic and can be conveniently linked with other chemical compounds, without disturbing their complete photoluminescence.” Linking them with biologically active elements will enable long-term tracking and labelling of cells and complete swaths of surviving tissue.
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