Premium
Inkjet Printing of Luminescent CdTe Nanocrystal–Polymer Composites
Author(s) -
Tekin E.,
Smith P. J.,
Hoeppener S.,
van den Berg A. M. J.,
Susha A. S.,
Rogach A. L.,
Feldmann J.,
Schubert U. S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200600587
Subject(s) - materials science , cadmium telluride photovoltaics , luminescence , ethylene glycol , polymer , nanocrystal , composite number , particle (ecology) , chemical engineering , quantum dot , nanotechnology , fluorescence , aqueous solution , composite material , optoelectronics , optics , chemistry , oceanography , physics , geology , engineering
Inkjet printing is used to produce well‐defined patterns of dots (with diameters of ca. 120 μm) that are composed of luminescent CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) embedded within a poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA) matrix. Addition of ethylene glycol (1–2 vol %) to the aqueous solution of CdTe NCs suppresses the well‐known ring‐formation effect in inkjet printing leading to exceptionally uniform dots. Atomic force microscopy characterization reveals that in the CdTe NC films the particle–particle interaction could be prevented using inert PVA as a matrix. Combinatorial libraries of CdTe NC–PVA composites with variable NC sizes and polymer/NC ratios are prepared using inkjet printing. These libraries are subsequently characterized using a UV/fluorescence plate reader to determine their luminescent properties. Energy transfer from green‐light‐emitting to red‐light‐emitting CdTe NCs in the composite containing green‐ (2.6 nm diameter) and red‐emitting (3.5 nm diameter) NCs are demonstrated.