Synthesis of uniform nanoparticle shapes with high selectivity
View Patent ↗This invention provides non-spherical nanoparticle compositions that are the reaction product of a source of a Group 12, 13, 14, or 15 metal or metalloid; a source of a Group 15 or 16 element; and a source of a quaternary ammonium compound or phosphonium compound; wherein nanoparticle tetrapods comprise 75-100 number percent of the nanoparticle products.
1. A non-spherical nanoparticle composition, comprising:
(a) a Group 12, 13, 14, or a first Group 15 metal or metalloid;
(b) a second Group 15 or a group 16 element; and
(c) a quaternary ammonium compound or phosphonium compound;
wherein at least 75 number percent of nanoparticles in said nanoparticle composition are tetrapods.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid is selected from the group consisting of zinc, cadmium, mercury, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, and bismuth.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid is cadmium.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Group 15 or 16 element is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorous, arsenic, oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Group 15 or 16 element is sulfur, selenium or tellurium.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium compounds.
7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the tetraalkylammonium compound is asymmetrical.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is cetyltrimethylammonium.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is didodecyldimethylammonium.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein nanoparticle tetrapods comprise 80 to 100 number percent of the nanoparticle in said nanoparticle composition.
11. A composition of non-spherical Quantum Dots (QDs), wherein said QDs are at least 75% non-spherical and were made with a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium precursor having the formula
[(R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 + )A] a (X −1 ) n
wherein each of R 1 -R 4 is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C20 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group or C6-C20 aryl group, and a C4-C20 linear, branched or cyclic diene; A represents nitrogen or phosphorous; and X is halide, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, or carbonate.
12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said QDs are at least 85% non-spherical.
13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein said QDs are at least 95% non-spherical.
14. A non-spherical nanoparticle composition, comprising:
(a) Cadmium;
(b) Selenium; and
(c) Cetyltrimethylammonium or didodecyldimethylammonium;
wherein at least 85 number percent of nanoparticles in said nanoparticle composition are tetrapods.