title: Determination of the size of quantum dots by fluorescence spectroscopy.
abstract: There has been a lack of quick, simple and reliable methods for determination of nanoparticle size. An investigation of the size of hydrophobic (CdSe) and hydrophilic (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dots was performed by using the maximum position of the corresponding fluorescence spectrum. It has been found that fluorescence spectroscopy is a simple and reliable methodology to estimate the size of both quantum dot types. For a given solution, the homogeneity of the size of quantum dots is correlated to the relationship between the fluorescence maximum position (FMP) and the quantum dot size. This methodology can be extended to the other fluorescent nanoparticles. The employment of evolving factor analysis and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares for decomposition of the series of quantum dots fluorescence spectra recorded by a specific measuring procedure reveals the number of quantum dot fractions having different diameters. The size of the quantum dots in a particular group is defined by the FMP of the corresponding component in the decomposed spectrum. These results show that a combination of the fluorescence and appropriate statistical method for decomposition of the emission spectra of nanoparticles may be a quick and trusted method for the screening of the inhomogeneity of their solution.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11000 Beograd, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragosav
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mutavdžić
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Garima
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thakur
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Triulzi
authors.forename: Sandor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasas
authors.forename: Milorad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeremić
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radotić
mesh_terms: D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C058667:cadmium selenide; C031238:zinc sulfide