Method to improve performance of devices comprising nanostructures
The invention is in the field of nanostructure synthesis. Provided are highly luminescent core/shell nanostructures with zinc fluoride and zinc acetate bound to their surface. Also provided are methods of preparing the nanostructures, films comprising the nanostructures, and devices comprising the nanostructures.
1. A population of nanostructures comprising a nanocrystal core, wherein the nanocrystal core comprises InP, and at least one shell, wherein the at least one shell is ZnSe, and wherein the nanostructures comprise a zinc carboxylate and a zinc halide bound to their surfaces, wherein the population of nanostructures has a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of between 10 nm and 40 nm.
2. The nanostructures of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures have a diameter of about 4-12 nm.
3. The nanostructures of claim 1 , wherein the population of nanostructures has a FWHM of 38-39 nm.
4. The nanostructures of claim 1 , wherein the population of nanostructures has a quantum yield (QY %) of 85-88%.
5. The nanostructures of claim 1 , wherein the zinc carboxylate is zinc acetate or zinc acetate dihydrate.
6. The nanostructures of claim 1 , wherein the zinc halide is zinc fluoride.
7. A method of making the nanostructures of claim 1 , comprising:
(a) admixing core-shell nanostructures in a solvent with a zinc carboxylate and zinc halide under an inert atmosphere, wherein the nanostructures are InP/ZnSe core-shell nanostructures;
(b) raising the temperature of the admixture in (a) to a temperature between about 90° C. and about 350° C.; and
(c) isolating the core-shell nanocrystals with zinc acetate and zinc fluoride bound to their surfaces.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the zinc carboxylate is zinc acetate or zinc acetate dihydrate.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the InP/ZnSe core/shell nanocrystals are obtained by
(d) adding InP cores to a solution comprising solvent, a ligand and zinc chloride under an inert atmosphere at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 150° C.;
(e) adding zinc bromide and gallium trichloride to the solution obtained in (d);
(f) adding a selenium source to the solution obtained in (e);
(g) heating the solution obtained in (f) to a temperature of about 150° C. to about 340° C.; and
(h) allowing the solution obtained in (g) to cool.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ligand is lauric acid.
11. A nanostructure film comprising:
(a) at least one population of nanostructures of claim 1 ; and
(b) at least one organic resin.
12. A nanostructure molded article comprising:
(a) a first conductive layer;
(b) a second conductive layer; and
(c) a nanostructure layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, wherein the nanostructure layer comprises a population of nanostructures of claim 1 .
13. A display device comprising the nanostructures of claim 1 .