摘要

Semiconductor nanocrystals have traditionally been synthesized using pyrophoric, toxic, and expensive reagents, which are not appropriate for industrial synthesis or application in the future. Herein, we report a facile and green route for the synthesis of highly emissive and water-soluble Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals by using low-cost, and environmentally friendly precursors and solvents. The capping of Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals by mercaptoacetic acid ligand is evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals have a cubic zinc blende crystalline structure with an average particle size of similar to 4 nm, which show blue shift in UV-vis absorption spectra compared to bulk ZnSe. The obtained nanocrystals are highly luminescent with a widely tunable photoluminescence (PL) emission window of 426-442 nm, with a narrow PL full width at half-maximum. The photoluminescence quantum yield of the corresponding nanocrystals is typically maintained at 20% or higher at room temperature without any post-synthesis treatment. The pH-dependent optical properties of those Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals are systemically investigated, and the underlying mechanism for the tunable luminescence properties of the as-prepared Fe:ZnSe nanocrystals is elucidated. Moreover, the protocol allows for a highly reproducible and effective synthesis, which is fully adaptable for mass production and can be easily employed to synthesize a variety of doped and alloyed nanocrystals.