Quantum Dot-Acrylic Acrylate Oligomer Hybrid Films for Stable White Light-Emitting Diodes.

White light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been achieved using photopolymerization. Red and green CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) are dispersed in photopolymerized aliphatic acrylic acrylate resins, cured by using 36 W UV light for 1.5 min producing QD-acrylate nanocomposites, and then a hybrid LED device is achieved using the QD-acrylate nanocomposite with two emission wavelengths excited by using a blue InGaN LED chip. The cured QD-acrylate nanocomposite films are characterized by using ultraviolet-visible, fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis measurements. Photopolymerization is conveniently employed to adjust several parameters of the CIE-1931 coordinate (x, y), color temperature, and color rending index (CRI). Good white balance of the red-green hybrid device achieves a luminance of 7976 lm/m2 at a 30 mA working current. The light emission efficiency, CRI, and color temperature of 14%, 47, and 11 204 K, respectively, are attained at this working current.

Microcontact imprinting of algae on poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) for biofuel cells.

Hydrogen can be produced using microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and algae); algal production has the additional ecological benefit of carbon dioxide fixation. The conversion of hydrogen to electricity via fuel cells may be more efficient compared to other energy sources of electricity. However, the anode of biofuel cells requires the immobilization of microorganisms or enzymes. In this work, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVAL), was coated on the electrode, and green algae was microcontact imprinted onto the EVAL film. The readsorption of algae onto algae-imprinted EVAL thin films was compared to determine the ethylene content that gave highest imprinting effectiveness and algal binding. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence spectrometry were employed to characterize the surface morphology, recognition capacity, and reusability of the algae-imprinted cavities. The recognition of an individual algal cell by binding to the imprinted cavities was directly observed by video microscopy. Finally, the power and current density of the algal biofuel cell using the algae-imprinted EVAL-coated electrode were measured at about 2-fold higher than electrode sputtered platinum on poly(ethylene terephthalate).

Sonochemical synthesis and shape change of colloidal CdSe nanocrystals by high-intensity ultrasound.

In this article, we have developed the synthesis of CdSe nanocrystals by the introduction of high-intensity ultrasound combined with an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS). TEM, XRD, and SEM EDS confirmed the successful synthesis of CdSe nanoparticles with zinc blende crystal phase. UV, PL, and TEM revealed that large particles settled to the bottom of the reaction flask. In the lower part precipitate, nanorods of different aspect ratios were also observed. The CdSe nanorods were formed by self-assembly due to the SDS surfactant and high-intensity ultrasound. A three-stage mechanism for the synthesis of CdSe nanorods was proposed. The effect of SDS concentration on the shape of nanorods was also investigated. At medium concentrations of SDS (0.2 M), one-dimensional CdSe nanorods with different aspect ratios were obtained. When using low concentrations of SDS (0.1 M), two-dimensional square-like crystals were observed due to all growth crystal faces having roughly the same surface energy.