Thiol-Anchored TIPS-Tetracene Ligands with Quantitative Triplet Energy Transfer to PbS Quantum Dots and Improved Thermal Stability

Victor Gray, Zhilong Zhang, Simon Dowland, Jesse R. Allardice, Antonios M. Alvertis, James Xiao, Neil C. Greenham, John E. Anthony, Akshay Rao

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Triplet energy transfer between inorganic quantum dots (QDs) and organic materials plays a fundamental role in many optoelectronic applications based on these nanocomposites. Attaching organic molecules to the QD as transmitter ligands has been shown to facilitate transfer both to and from QDs. Here we show that the often disregarded thiol anchoring group can achieve quantitative triplet energy transfer yields in a PbS QD system with 6,11-bis[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]tetracene-2-methylthiol (TET-SH) ligands. We demonstrate efficient triplet transfer in a singlet fission-based photon multiplication system with 5,12-bis[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]tetracene generating triplets in solution that transfer to the PbS QDs via the thiol ligand TET-SH. Importantly, we demonstrate the increased thermal stability of the PbS/TET-SH system, compared to the traditional carboxylic acid counterpart, allowing for higher photoluminescence quantum yields.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7239-7244
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Volume11
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 3 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.

Funding

The authors thank the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for funding. This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement 758826). V.G. acknowledges funding from the Swedish research council (Vetenskapsrådet 2018-00238). J.R.A. acknowledges the Cambridge Commonwealth European and International Trust for financial support. Z.Z. acknowledges funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions grant (842271, TRITON project). J.X. acknowledges EPSRC Cambridge NanoDTC (EP/L015978/1) for financial support. A.M.A. acknowledges the support of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for funding under Grant EP/L015552/1. J.E.A.’s synthesis of materials was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement 1849213.

FundersFunder number
Gates Cambridge Trust
H2020 European Research Council
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme758826
H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions842271, EP/L015552/1, EP/L015978/1
Vetenskapsrådet2018-00238
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program1849213
UK Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilEP/P007767/1, EP/L015552/1

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Materials Science
    • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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