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Title: Polysulfide ligand exchange on zinc sulfide nanocrystal surfaces for improved film formation

Journal Article · · Applied Surface Science
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)
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The physical and chemical properties of nanocrystals can be modified by changing the ligands attached at their surfaces. A ligand exchange procedure with ammonium polysulfides has been developed to replace the native ligands on cubic zinc sulfide nanocrystals. Several mixtures of polysulfides in formamide and other solvents were prepared with different average chain lengths and used to achieve high yield ligand exchange, as confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that polysulfide content can be increased with longer surface ligands and that the exchange process yields compositionally pure surfaces before and after high temperature anneals. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy show that, when annealed in nitrogen at 525 °C, polysulfide ligands lead to average crystal sizes 2–3 times larger than in the un-exchanged control sample. The ligand exchange procedure itself does not alter nanocrystal size. Nanocrystal inks prepared from the exchanged samples form thin films that exhibit superior grain growth, morphology, mass retention, and composition compared to the un-exchanged material. Overall, polysulfide species are demonstrated as alternative ligands for the surfaces of metal chalcogenide nanocrystals which, when incorporated in an efficient ligand-exchange procedure, can improve the quality of ZnS nanocrystal inks.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0004946
OSTI ID:
1579800
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1254772
Journal Information:
Applied Surface Science, Vol. 359, Issue C; ISSN 0169-4332
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 20 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Efficiency Enhancement of All‐Solution‐Processed Inverted‐Structure Green Quantum Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes Via Partial Ligand Exchange with Thiophenol Derivatives Having Negative Dipole Moment journal November 2019
The Role of NiO in Reactive Adsorption Desulfurization Over NiO/ZnO-Al2O3-SiO2 Adsorbent journal January 2019

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Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Polysulfide
Nanocrystal ink
Ligand exchange
Zinc sulfide