Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determining the core, corona, and total size of CdSeS/ZnS quantum dots by SEC/QELS and TEM

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The size (hydrodynamic or Stokes radius, R H) of non-functionalized CdSeS/ZnS (core/shell) quantum dots (QDs) was characterized by size-exclusion chromatography with on-line quasi-elastic light scattering (SEC/QELS). Accurate determination of the size of QDs is important, because many of the optical properties of these materials are size dependent. A clear advantage of SEC/QELS over many batch techniques (e.g., QELS without separation) is the capability of the hyphenated technique to characterize the entire size range of a disperse sample, rather than merely providing a statistical average of the sizes present. Here, the SEC/QELS-determined R H values of CdSeS/ZnS QDs are compared to those determined by a traditional SEC experiment employing a calibration curve based on polystyrene standards, providing for the first reported study on SEC/QELS of non-functionalized QDs while also demonstrating the shortcomings of the widely-employed calibration curve approach. Furthermore, combining the R H of the QDs obtained by SEC/QELS with core size measurements derived from transmission electron microscopy allowed further calculation of the size of the QDs’ coronas. The latter result was found to be in close agreement to the previously measured dimension of the main corona constituent, as well as with the calculated size of this constituent.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Huang H, Zhu J. The electrochemical applications of quantum dots. Analyst. 2013;138:5855–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Vasudevan D, Gaddam RR, Trinchi A, et al. Core-shell quantum dots: properties and applications. J Alloys Compd. 2015;636:395–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Pitkänen L, Striegel AM. Size-exclusion chromatography of metal nanoparticles and quantum dots. Trends Anal Chem. 2015;in press.

  4. Krueger KM, Al-Somali AM, Falkner JC, Colvin VL. Characterization of nanocrystalline CdSe by size exclusion chromatography. Anal Chem. 2005;77:3511–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lee M, Chung WJ, Park SK, Kim M, Seo HS, Ju JJ. Structural and optical characterizations of multi-layered and multi-stacked PbSe quantum dots. Nanotechnology. 2005;16:1148–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wilcoxon JP, Provencio PP. Chemical and optical properties of CdSe and CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography. J Phys Chem B. 2005;109:13461–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wilcoxon JP, Martin JE, Provencio P. Size distributions of gold nanoclusters studied by liquid chromatography. Langmuir. 2000;16:9912–20.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fischer CH, Weller H, Katsikas L, Henglein A. Photochemistry of colloidal semiconductors. 30. HPLC investigation of small CdS particles. Langmuir. 1989;5:429–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Trapiella-Alfonso L, Bustos ARM, Encinar JR, Costa-Fernandez JM, Pereiro R, Sanz-Medel A. New integrated elemental and molecular strategies as a diagnostic tool for the quality of water soluble quantum dots and their bioconjugates. Nanoscale. 2011;3:954–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Striegel AM, Yau WW, Kirkland JJ, Bly DD. Modern size-exclusion liquid chromatography. 2nd ed. Hoboken: Wiley; 2009.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  11. Berne BJ, Pecora R. Dynamic light scattering. Mineola: Dover; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Johnson Jr CS, Gabriel DA. Laser light scattering. Mineola: Dover; 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Brewer AK, Striegel AM. Characterizing the size, shape, and compactness of a polydisperse prolate ellipsoidal particle via quadruple-detector hydrodynamic chromatography. Analyst. 2011;136:515–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Brewer AK, Striegel AM. Characterizing a spheroidal nanocage drug delivery vesicle using multi-detector hydrodynamic chromatography. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2011;399:1507–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Brewer AK, Striegel AM. Characterizing string-of-pearls colloidal silica by multidetector hydrodynamic chromatography and comparison to multidetector size-exclusion chromatography, off-line multiangle static light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. Anal Chem. 2011;83:3068–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wyatt PJ. Light scattering and the absolute characterization of macromolecules. Anal Chim Acta. 1993;272:1–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Fetters LJ, Hadjichristidis N, Lindner JS, Mays JW. Molecular weight dependence of hydrodynamic and thermodynamic properties for well-defined linear polymers in solution. J Phys Chem Ref Data. 1994;23:619–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Abràmoff MD, Magalhães PJ, Ram SJ. Image processing with ImageJ. Biophoton Int. 2004;11:36–41.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Schneider CA, Rasband WS, Eliceiri KW. NIH image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis. Nat Methods. 2012;9:671–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Burchard W. Solution properties of branched macromolecules. Adv Polym Sci. 1999;143:113–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Krueger KM, Al-Somali AM, Mejia M, Colvin VL. The hydrodynamic size of polymer stabilized nanocrystals. Nanotechnology. 2007;18:475709/1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sander LC, Glinka CJ, Wise SA. Determination of bonded phase thickness in liquid chromatography by small angle neutron scattering. Anal Chem. 1990;62:1099–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hiemenz P, Lodge T. Polymer chemistry. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Harris DC. Quantitative chemical analysis. 8th ed. New York: WH Freeman; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Liz Nguyen for her help with the TEM measurement.

Disclaimer

Commercial products are identified to specify adequately the experimental procedure. Such identification does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply that the materials identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, MS8392, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA

    Leena Pitkänen & André M. Striegel

Authors
  1. Leena Pitkänen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. André M. Striegel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to André M. Striegel.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pitkänen, L., Striegel, A.M. Determining the core, corona, and total size of CdSeS/ZnS quantum dots by SEC/QELS and TEM. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 4003–4010 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9487-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9487-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation