Colloidally synthesized and bandgap-engineered luminescent titanium nitride quantum dots
Aswathi Maladan1, Takuya Okamoto1,2, Mohit Kumar3
1Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5 Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810, Japan. biju@es.hokudai.ac.jp.
Nanoscale
|October 8, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed luminescent titanium nitride (TiN) quantum dots as a sustainable alternative to heavy metal-based nanomaterials. These TiN quantum dots offer tunable optical properties for eco-friendly optoelectronics and photovoltaics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Optoelectronics
Background:
- Semiconductor nanomaterials like metal chalcogenides and lead halide perovskites are vital for optoelectronic devices.
- Concerns regarding heavy metal toxicity necessitate the development of sustainable alternatives.
- Titanium nitride (TiN) is explored as a potentially non-toxic, earth-abundant luminescent material.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize luminescent titanium nitride (TiN) quantum dots.
- To investigate their potential as eco-friendly substitutes for heavy metal-based nanomaterials.
- To demonstrate tunable optical bandgaps and multicolor photoluminescence.
Main Methods:
- Colloidal chemical synthesis of TiN quantum dots.
- Characterization using HRTEM, SEM-EDX, XRD, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy.
- Photoluminescence and fluorescence spectroscopy (steady-state and time-resolved) for optical property analysis.
Main Results:
- Successfully engineered brilliantly luminescent TiN quantum dots.
- Achieved tunable optical bandgaps ranging from 1.8 to 2.2 eV.
- Confirmed multicolor photoluminescence and detailed structural and chemical properties.
Conclusions:
- Luminescent TiN quantum dots are a promising, sustainable alternative to toxic heavy metal nanomaterials.
- TiN quantum dots exhibit excellent properties for applications in solar cells, LEDs, and photodetectors.
- This work paves the way for greener electrooptical and photovoltaic technologies.
