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Updated: Mar 14, 2026
Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
Published on: October 9, 2012
Fast preparation of ultrafine monolayered transition-metal dichalcogenide quantum dots using electrochemical shock
Zhigang Chen1, Zhengxu Tao2, Shan Cong2
1Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. dszhang@shu.edu.cn and Key Lab of Nanodevices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Suzhou 215123, China. zgzhao2011@sinano.ac.cn.
Abstract:
A simple, general and fast method called "electrochemical shock" is developed to prepare monolayered transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) QDs with an average size of 2-4 nm and an average thickness of 0.85 ± 0.5 nm with only about 10 min of ultrasonication. Just like nails hammered into a plate, the electrochemical shock with Al3+ ions and the following extraction with the help of oleic acid can disintegrate bulk TMD crystals into ultrafine TMD QDs. The fast-prepared QDs are then applied to detect highly explosive molecules such as 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) with a low detection limit of 10-6 M. Our versatile method could be broadly applicable for the fast production of ultrathin QDs of other materials with great promise for various applications.
