Semiconductor nanocrystals in fluorous liquids for the construction of light-emitting diodes

This communication reports a materials handling strategy based on fluorous materials chemistry using CdSe/CdS/CdZnS core-shell type semiconductor nanocrystals. When the crystals were treated with the semi-perfluoroalkanethiol ligands in the presence of (Pr2EtN)-Pr-i, the surface-modified nanocrystals (R(F)1-NC and R(F)2-NC) became soluble in the fluorous liquids. Solutions of R(F)1-NC and R(F)2-NC in HFE-7500 enabled the solution-casting of nanocrystalline films on top of a small-molecular hole-transporting layer and provided layered structures suitable for light-emitting diode fabrication.