Efficient Phase Transfer of Luminescent Thiol-Capped Nanocrystals:  From Water to Nonpolar Organic Solvents

Highly luminescent thiol-capped CdTe and HgTe nanocrystals synthesized in aqueous solutions were subject to a partial exchange of capping ligands with 1-dodecanethiol and transferred into different nonpolar organic solvents. It was found that acetone plays an important role in an efficient phase transfer of the nanocrystals. Both CdTe and HgTe nanocrystals retain their luminescence properties after being transferred to organic solvents, thus providing a new source of easily processable luminescent materials for possible applications in photovoltaics and optoelectronics.