Coordinated Anions Tune Z-Type Ligand Displacement from Colloidal CdSe and InP Nanocrystal Surfaces

Neutral metal salts coordinate to the surfaces of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) by acting as Lewis acid acceptors for the NC surface anions. This ligand coordination has been associated with increased emission due to the passivation of surface hole traps. Here, variation of the anionic ligands of metal salts is used to study anion effects on metal complex Lewis acidity and surface coordination at CdSe and InP NCs. To resolve dynamic ligand exchange processes, the tetracarbonylcobaltate anion, [Co(CO)