title: Synthesis of nanocomposite materials with controlled structures and optical emissions: application of various methacrylate polymers for CdSe quantum dots encapsulation.
abstract: CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were incorporated in polymer films via in situ polymerization using one of the four different monomers having a varied hydrocarbon side chain length, namely, hexyl, lauryl, stearyl, or behenyl methacrylate. This technique resulted in the preparation of a series of the QD-based nanocomposite materials for which laser scanned confocal microscopy imaging revealed a uniform dispersion of nanoparticles within the polymethacrylate matrices. Importantly, the polymer encapsulation of highly luminescent CdSe QDs did not affect their optical properties. The films exhibit the size-quantized optical effects characteristic of QDs. The changes in photoluminescence (PL) intensity of CdSe QDs were investigated as a function of illumination duration in different chemical environments, including the above polymeric matrices and a chloroform solution. Enhancement of the photoluminescence quantum yield for photoactivated QDs in methacrylate polymers was observed. This study of quantum yields of QD-based composites is important for understanding the involvement of surface states of photoactivated QDs as well for identifying ideal polymeric hosts for photoinduced surface passivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
authors.forename: Oxana V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Vassiltsova
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jayez
authors.forename: Zhouying
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Marina A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Petrukhina