WATER-STABLE SEMICONDUCTOR NANOCRYSTAL COMPLEXES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

• US 20080107911A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evident Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Evident Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Liu, Wei, Landry, Daniel, Locascio, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,754,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/457
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/04 comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31844 Of natural gum, rosin, natural oil or lac
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31971 Of carbohydrate

Abstract

A water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex and methods of making the same are provided. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex includes a semiconductor nanocrystal composition, a surfactant layer, and an outer layer. The outer layer and/or the surfactant layer can be cross-linked.

Claims

1. A water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex comprising:

a semiconductor nanocrystal composition comprising a semiconductor nanocrystal core;

a surfactant layer comprising molecules, each molecule having a moiety with an affinity for the semiconductor nanocrystal composition and a hydrophobic moiety with an affinity for a hydrophobic solvent; and

an outer layer having hydrophobic sections for interacting with the surfactant layer and hydrophilic sections for interacting with an aqueous medium, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal complex is chemically and electrically stable with a luminescent quantum yield of at least 10%.

2. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core has an outer surface and the semiconductor nanocrystal composition further comprises a shell comprising a semiconductor material, the shell formed on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core.

3. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core has an outer surface and the semiconductor nanocrystal composition further comprises:

a metal layer, the metal layer formed on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core after synthesis of the semiconductor nanocrystal core, and

a shell comprising a semiconductor material, the shell overcoating the metal layer.

4. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein the surfactant layer comprises thiols, amines, phosphines, phosphine oxides, or any suitable combination thereof.

5. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein at least two adjacent hydrophobic moieties of the surfactant layer are cross-linked.

6. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 5, wherein at least one of the hydrophobic moieties of the surfactant layer is cross-linked with at least one of the hydrophobic sections of the outer layer.

7. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein the outer layer comprises an amphiphilic diblock polymer, a side-branched amphiphilic polymer, a lipid molecule, or any suitable combination thereof.

8. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein at least two adjacent hydrophobic sections of the outer layer are cross-linked.

9. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 8, wherein at least one of the hydrophobic sections of the outer layer is cross-linked with at least one of the hydrophobic moieties of the surfactant layer.

10. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hydrophobic sections of the outer layer is cross-linked with at least one of the hydrophobic moieties of the surfactant layer.

11. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein at least one of the hydrophobic sections of the outer layer comprises functional groups for coupling to one or more tertiary molecules.

14. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1, wherein the luminescent quantum yield is at least 25%.

12. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 12, wherein the tertiary molecule is a biomolecule.

13. The water-stable semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 12, wherein the tertiary molecule is selected from the group consisting of an antibody, a protein, a polypeptide, a glycopeptide, a nucleic acid, a peptide nucleic acid, an oligonucleotide, an aptamer, a cellular receptor molecule, a receptor-specific ligand, streptaviddin, avidin, biotin, an enzyme, an enzyme cofactor, an oligosaccharide, a lipopolysaccharide, a glycolipid, a lectin, a polymer, a metallic surface, a metallic particle.