(27d) A One-Pot Route toward Light Selective Quantum Dot Polymer Nanofilms in scCO2

The synthesis of polymer nanocomposites with incorporated quantum dots (QDs) has been attracting significant interest due to their unique applications in a variety of fields. Here we explored a novel one-pot synthesis for synthesizing QD-polymer nanocomposites for application as light selective nanofilms using the ?green? solvent, supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). CdS-ZnS core-shell QDs were first synthesized by means of pyrolysis of single molecular precursors at 180oC and then functionalized with a methoxysilane group, followed by the one-pot synthesis technique in scCO2. FT-IR, EDX elemental analysis, NMR, solubility tests, photoluminescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used for characterization of the QDs, indicating successful synthesis and functionalization of the CdS-ZnS core-shell QDs. The synthesized QD-polymer (poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) nanocomposite films were characterized by TEM, EDX elemental mapping, GPC, photoluminescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy. It was found that the QDs were linked to the polymer chains and well distributed throughout the polymer matrix. With the QDs incorporated into the polymer matrix, the nanocomposites showed highly enhanced absorption in the UV and violet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and enhanced emission in the region from green to red light for potential applications for UV-protection nanofilms.