Sol-gel methods for the assembly of metal chalcogenide quantum dots

Sol-gel chemistry represents a powerful method for assembling metal chalcogenide quantum dots into 3D connected architectures without the presence of intervening ligands to moderate particle-particle interactions. Wet gels prepared by the oxidative loss of thiolate surface groups from chalcogenide nanoparticles can be converted to xerogels (low porosity) or aerogels (high porosity), and the quantum-confinement effects in these low-dimensional networks decrease with increasing density of the network. In this Account, we describe the application of sol-gel chemistry to the formation of CdSe architectures and discuss how surface modification can lead to highly luminous monoliths, concluding with the prospects of these unique materials for applications in sensing and photovoltaics.