Color Conversion Behaviors of Poly(methylmethacrylate) Films Containing Silica-Coated CdSe/ZnS Core-Shell Quantum Dots

Abstract

The color conversion behaviors of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films containing silica-coated CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) synthesized by using a reverse microemulsion method were investigated. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images showed that silica shells synthesized with 60 mu L of an ammonium hydroxide catalyst were uniformly coated on CdSe/ZnS QDs in the PMMA film. Absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra, and confocal optical microscopy images demonstrated that the amount of agglomeration of the CdSe/ZnS QDs in the PMMA film decreased as a result of the silica shells. While the absorption range of the PMMA film containing silica-coated CdSe/ZnS QDs was between 420 and 450 nm, the corresponding fluorescence emission peak appeared at 583 nm, resulting in the appearance of color-conversion behavior for the PMMA film.