Novel synthetic routes towards zinc nitride quantum dots and half-heusler compounds such as LiZnN

该项目的目的是利用空气敏感的无机和有机金属化学，为一系列发光氮化物基量子点材料开发新的化学路线。量子点已成为许多应用中的关键材料，从生物成像到太阳能和显示器。对于这些应用，下一代器件需要不含重金属、稳定且发光明亮的材料。目前，该项目的重点是氮化锌（Zn 3 N2）量子点（QD）。由于它们的可调谐发射，从近红外（780 nm - 2500 nm）到光谱部分的可见光（400 nm - 750 nm），这些具有很大的科学兴趣。氮化锌量子点在太阳能电池、电子学和生物医学应用的发展中具有潜在的用途。氮化锌的另一个优点是，与当前胶体、成熟的纳米晶体（即CdSe、PbS或InP）不同，它由无毒且地球丰富的材料组成。目前合成氮化锌的方法受到严重限制，据报道，牛津大学的一个研究小组在高温（225 ℃）下使用高度自燃的二乙基锌和爆炸性氨气合成了氮化锌。我们的目标是使用更方便和更安全的有机金属方法，使用碘化锌和氨基化锂前体生产亮红色发光材料。将修改温度、配体筛选试验和反应容器条件的变更。使用发射光谱、吸收光谱、X射线衍射、XPS、TEM、SAED、EDX和QY测量来确定样品及其元素成分的身份。将尝试使用ZnS壳和/或InN梯度合金材料对这些材料进行壳处理。

The aim of the project is to develop new chemical routes for a range of luminescent nitride-based quantum dot materials, using air-sensitive inorganic and organometallic chemistry. Quantum dots have emerged as a key material in numerous applications, from biological imaging, to solar energy and displays. For such applications, heavy metal free, stable and brightly emitting materials are necessary for the next generation of devices. Currently this project focuses on zinc nitride (Zn3N2) quantum dots (QDs). These are of great scientific interest due to their tune-able emission, from near infra-red (780 nm - 2500 nm) into the visible of the spectrum part (400 nm - 750 nm). Zinc nitride QDs have potential to be useful in the development of solar cells, electronics and in biomedical applications. Zinc nitride has the added advantage that, unlike current colloidal, well-developed nanocrystals (i.e. CdSe, PbS or InP), it consists of non-toxic and earth abundant materials. The current methods to synthesise zinc nitride are severely limited and have been reported to have been synthesised using highly pyrophoric diethyl zinc and explosive ammonia gas at high temperatures (225oC) from a research group in Oxford. We aim to produce bright red emitting materials using a more convenient and safer organometallic method, using zinc iodide and lithium amide precursors. Temperatures, ligand screening tests and change in reaction vessel conditions will be modified. Using emission spectra, absorption spectra, X-ray diffraction, XPS, TEM, SAED, EDX and QY measurements to determine the identity of the sample and its elemental constituents. An attempt will be made to shell these materials will be made using ZnS shells and/or InN graded alloy materials.