Issue 23, 2019

A clear solution: semiconductor nanocrystals as photoinitiators in solvent free polymerization

Abstract

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been shown to have unique advantages over traditional organic photoinitiators for polymerization in solution. However, efficient photoinitiation with such nanoparticles in solvent-free and additive-free formulations so far has not been achieved. Herein, the ability to use semiconductor nanocrystals for efficient bulk polymerization as sole initiators is reported, operating under modern UV-blue-LED light sources found in 3D printers and other photocuring applications. Hybrid semiconductor–metal nanorods exhibit superior photoinitiation capability to their pristine semiconductor counterparts, attributed to the enhanced charge separation and oxygen consumption in such systems. Moreover, photoinitiation by semiconductor nanocrystals overcoated by inorganic ligands is reported, thus increasing the scope of possible applications and shedding light on the photoinitiation mechanism; in light of the results, two possible pathways are discussed – ligand-mediated and cation-coordinated oxidation. A demonstration of the unique attributes of the quantum photoinitiators is reported in their use for high-resolution two-photon printing of optically fluorescing microstructures, demonstrating a multi-functionality capability. The bulk polymerization demonstrated here can be advantageous over solvent based methods as it alleviates the need of post-polymerization drying and reduces waste and exposure to toxic solvents, as well as broadens the possible use of quantum photoinitiators for industrial and research uses.

Graphical abstract: A clear solution: semiconductor nanocrystals as photoinitiators in solvent free polymerization

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 اپریل 2019
Accepted
24 میٔ 2019
First published
27 میٔ 2019

Nanoscale, 2019,11, 11209-11216

A clear solution: semiconductor nanocrystals as photoinitiators in solvent free polymerization

L. Verbitsky, N. Waiskopf, S. Magdassi and U. Banin, Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 11209 DOI: 10.1039/C9NR03086G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements