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ZnSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanostructures and Their Catalytic Properties

Kirsanova, Maria

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2012, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Physics.

The study focused on developing synthetic routes for the colloidal synthesis of ZnSe/CdS semiconductor heterostructures, various in size and geometry, and evaluating their applicability to practical realizations. Such composite semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with core/shell morphology can be designed to drive an efficient separation of photoinduced charges.

As a preliminary, high-quality ZnSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs), exhibiting a type II carrier localization regime, were fabricated via a traditional pyrolysis of organometallic precursors. An efficient spatial separation of electrons and holes between the core and the shell was observed for heterostructures containing more than 3 monolayers of CdS, which allows for their potential applications in areas of biomedical imaging, solar cells, and QD based lasers.

Furthermore, colloidal synthesis of ZnSe/CdS barbell-shaped NCs, comprising a type II heterojunction of ZnSe and CdS domains, showed compelling evidence of photoinduced charge separation at the interface of semiconductor materials. The nanobarbells were fabricated in a two-step procedure by growing ZnSe caps onto polar facets of CdS nanorods.

Finally, time-resolved spectroscopy and electrochemistry techniques were used to demonstrate that the attachment of a hole-scavenging surfactant to ZnSe/CdS nanocrystals promotes an efficient transfer of holes to the surface. Specifically, the effect of the shell thickness in core/shell NCs on the ability of core-localized charges to perform oxidative reactions was determined. More importantly, it was observed that holes can be extracted from the core much faster than they recombine with shell-localized electrons, indicating that most of photoinduced holes in these nanostructures can be made available to drive catalytic reactions.

Mikhail Zamkov, PhD (Advisor)
Haowen Xi, PhD (Committee Chair)
63 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kirsanova, M. (2012). ZnSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanostructures and Their Catalytic Properties [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1342565590

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kirsanova, Maria. ZnSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanostructures and Their Catalytic Properties. 2012. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1342565590.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kirsanova, Maria. "ZnSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanostructures and Their Catalytic Properties." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1342565590

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)