Fabrication and characterization of luminescent sulfur nanodots

Abstract

In recent years, tremendous efforts have been directed at heavy metal-free, single element QDs which harbours potential to excel over traditional compound-based semiconductor QDs in terms of areas of application, performance, cytotoxicity and ease of manufacturing. SQDs are a new class of such single element QDs, commonly developed via facile colloidal synthesis methods to produce high quality samples. However, existing synthesis techniques largely involves multiple steps to vary reaction time as an experimental factor in tuning the size-dependent emission wavelengths of SQDs, making SQD synthesis time-consuming, complex and cost-ineffective. Here in this project, a facile, short-duration one-step hydrothermal synthesis of SQDs is attempted, with a thorough study of the hydrothermal process conducted to identify reactant concentration, reaction temperature and reaction mixture alkalinity as factors varying the size and size-dependent emission wavelengths of prepared SQDs. The light emitting properties of prepared SQDs are examined via various spectroscopic measurements, which provide valuable insights on potential applications via SQDs in the future.