Fabrication of stable low-density silica aerogels, containing luminescent ZnS capped CdSe quantum dots

Luminescent CdSe quantum dots of 2.5 and 6.0 nm dimension have been incorporated into a low-density silica aerogels matrix. The aerogels are formed from the supercritical CO2 extraction of an alcogel containing quantum dots surface passivated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The resulting aerogels (see figure and cover) are low scattering and show intense, stable luminescence.