title: Polymer-coated quantum dots.
abstract: Quantum Dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals with distinct photophysical properties finding applications in biology, biosensing, and optoelectronics. Polymeric coatings of QDs are used primarily to provide long-term colloidal stability to QDs dispersed in solutions and also as a source of additional functional groups used in further chemical derivatization of the nanoparticles. We review the coating methods, including multidentate and amphiphilic polymeric coatings, and grafting-to and grafting-from approaches. We highlight the most commonly used polymers and discuss how their chemical structure influences the coating properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602. tomczakn@imre.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Nikodem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomczak
authors.forename: Rongrong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Julius G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Vancso
mesh_terms: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents