Reversible gelation of CdSe nanoparticles: Elucidating the nature of interparticle bonding in metal chalcogenide gels and aerogels

INOR 537

Indika U. Arachchige, indikau@chem.wayne.edu1, Daniel G. Georgiev, dgeorgie@eng.wayne.edu2, and Stephanie L. Brock, sbrock@chem.wayne.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, (2) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202
The ability to assemble nanoparticles into functional structures is an important challenge that needs to be addressed for the generation of nanoparticle-based devices. We have recently developed a powerful and facile method for assembly of metal chalcogenide nanoparticles into porous gel and aerogel networks by controlled ligand removal from primary particles. Despite the fact that there are no intervening ligands between particles, the quantum confinement effects are retained due to the low dimensionality of the network. The nature of bonding between particles remains unknown, but is presumed to be fundamentally different from the bonding within the particles based on the fact that the network can be disassembled into precursor particles by treatment with a variety of reducing agents. In this work, the mechanism of gelation and disassembly is probed by chemical and spectroscopic means and the implications for devices based on metal chalcogenide gel networks, discussed.

 

Nanoscience: Synthesis
9:00 AM-12:00 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 309, Oral

Division of Inorganic Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006