Abstract
Elucidating the water-induced degradation mechanism of quantum-sized semiconductor nanocrystals is an important prerequisite for their practical application because they are vulnerable to moisture compared to their bulk counterparts. In-situ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy is a desired method for studying nanocrystal degradation, and it has recently gained technical advancement. Herein, the moisture-induced degradation of semiconductor nanocrystals is investigated using graphene double-liquid-layer cells that can control the initiation of reactions. Crystalline and noncrystalline domains of quantum-sized CdS nanorods are clearly distinguished during their decomposition with atomic-scale imaging capability of the developed liquid cells. The results reveal that the decomposition process is mediated by the involvement of the amorphous-phase formation, which is different from conventional nanocrystal etching. The reaction can proceed without the electron beam, suggesting that the amorphous-phase-mediated decomposition is induced by water. Our study discloses unexplored aspects of moisture-induced deformation pathways of semiconductor nanocrystals, involving amorphous intermediates.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 13734-13745 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | ACS Nano |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 14 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 25 Jul 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 American Chemical Society.
Keywords
- amorphous intermediates
- degradation mechanism
- graphene double-liquid-layer cells
- liquid-phase TEM
- semiconductor nanocrystals