Semiconductor nanocrystals and methods

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for forming a coating comprising a semiconductor material on at least a portion of a population of semiconductor nanocrystals comprises providing a first mixture including semiconductor nanocrystals and an aromatic solvent, introducing one or more cation precursors and one or more anion precursors into the first mixture to form a reaction mixture for forming the semiconductor material, reacting the precursors in the reaction mixture, without the addition of an acid compound, under conditions sufficient to grow a coating comprising the semiconductor material on at least a portion of an outer surface of at least a portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals, and wherein an amide compound is formed in situ in the reaction mixture prior to isolating the coated semiconductor nanocrystals. In another embodiment, method for forming a coating comprising a semiconductor material on at least a portion of a population of semiconductor nanocrystals comprises providing a first mixture including semiconductor nanocrystals and a solvent, introducing an amide compound, one or more cation precursors and one or more anion precursors into the first mixture to form a reaction mixture for forming the semiconductor material, and reacting the precursors in the reaction mixture in the presence of the amide compound, under conditions sufficient to grow a coating comprising the semiconductor material on at least a portion of an outer surface of at least a portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals. Semiconductor nanocrystals including coatings grown in accordance with the above methods are also disclosed.

1 . A method for forming a coating comprising a semiconductor material on at least a portion of a population of semiconductor nanocrystals, the method comprising:
 providing a first mixture including semiconductor nanocrystals and an aromatic solvent,   introducing one or more cation precursors and one or more anion precursors into the first mixture to form a reaction mixture for forming the semiconductor material, reacting the precursors in the reaction mixture, without the addition of an acid compound, under conditions sufficient to grow a coating comprising the semiconductor material on at least a portion of an outer surface of at least a portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals, and   wherein an amide compound comprising a primary amide is formed in situ in the reaction mixture prior to isolating the coated semiconductor nanocrystals.   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound is generated during the growth of the coating. 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound is generated after the growth of the coating. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound comprises a hydrocarbon group including one or more substituent groups. 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound comprises one or more C 2 -C 18  hydrocarbon chains. 
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein at least one of the hydrocarbon chains is branched. 
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein at least one of the hydrocarbon chains includes at least one heteroatom. 
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound includes at least one aromatic group. 
     
     
         11 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the amide compound includes at least one aliphatic group. 
     
     
         12 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the solvent comprises a mixture of two or more solvents. 
     
     
         13 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the solvent comprises a non-aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         14 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the primary amide compound is generated in situ from an amine compound and an ester under conditions to form the primary amide compound therefrom. 
     
     
         18 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals comprise a Group III-V compound. 
     
     
         36 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the semiconductor nanocrystals comprise a Group II-VI compound. 
     
     
         37 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the overcoating comprises a Group II-VI compound. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method in accordance with  claim 35  wherein the overcoating comprises a Group II-VI compound. 
     
     
         41 . A method in accordance with  claim 36  wherein the overcoating comprises a Group II-VI compound.