Nanocrystal-Functionalized Materials for Optical Applications

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This starter grant award of the Chemistry Division to Brandeis University supports the research of Professor Wenbin Lin. The theme of the research is nanocrystal-functionalized materials for optical applications. Nanocrystallites are intrinsically unstable due to high surface tension and need to be incorporated into other matrices to enhance stability. This research examines two new approaches to stabilizing nanocrystals by forming nanocrystal-functionalized polymers and self-assembled multilayers. A surface modification approach is used to prepare nanocrystals terminated with trialkoxysilanes or negatively charged alkylsulfonate groups. These nanocrystal-functionalized precursors are used to form self-assembled multilayers of nanocrystals via siloxane linkages or by alternate adsorption of polymeric cations and alkylsulfonate-derivatized nanocrystals. The research will lead to better understanding of the fundamental properties of nanocrystals and to production of interesting nanocrystal-functionalized materials. Such materials hold the promise for applications as nonlinear optical materials, photo-catalysts, and light-emitting diodes.