Recent research led by Curtin University has unveiled a new method to increase the adhesion of molecules to the surfaces of tiny nanocrystals, which could significantly enhance technology in areas such as brighter television screens, advanced medical diagnostics, and more effective solar panels.
According to the lead author, Associate Professor Guohua Jia from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, the study focused on how the shape of zinc sulfide nanocrystals influences the attachment of molecules, known as ligands, to their surfaces.
“Ligands are crucial for regulating the behavior and efficiency of zinc sulfide nanocrystals across various vital technologies,” stated Associate Professor Jia.
“Our findings revealed that flatter, more uniform particles called nanoplatelets enable a greater number of ligands to strongly adhere compared to shapes like nanodots and nanorods. This discovery could pave the way for the creation of smarter, more advanced devices.”
“By manipulating the shapes of these particles, we gained control over their interactions with the environment, boosting their effectiveness for numerous applications.”
“This ability to customize particle shapes could lead to transformative enhancements in product efficiency and performance, from more intense LED lighting and displays to improved solar technologies and sharper medical images.”
Associate Professor Jia further explained that this discovery could significantly improve the functionality of optoelectronic devices, which either generate or utilize light in their operations.
“Optoelectronics play a key role in many contemporary technologies, such as telecommunications, medical instruments, and energy solutions,” noted Associate Professor Jia.
“Efficient manipulation of light and electricity is essential for developing faster, more effective, and compact electronic systems.”
This category includes LEDs, which convert electrical energy into light used in applications ranging from household bulbs to television screens, as well as solar cells that transform sunlight into electrical energy for powering devices.
“Additionally, this breakthrough could benefit devices like photodetectors that detect light and translate it into electrical signals, commonly found in cameras and sensors, along with laser diodes used in fiber-optic communications, which convert electrical signals back into light for data transfer.”
The complete study titled ‘Deciphering surface ligand density of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals: Shape matters’ is set to be published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
