Quantum Dots Stabilized With A Metal Thiol Polymer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289552-A1
Application number	US-201615061753-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A composition of matter comprises a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer that acts to stabilize the quantum dots. In certain embodiments, the metal thiol polymer is a zinc thiol polymer. The zinc thiol polymer may be a zinc alkanethiolate. The zinc alkanethiolate may be zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT). A composition comprising a plurality of quantum dots and a metal thiol polymer may be formulated with one or more additional polymers as a quantum dot-containing bead or as a quantum dot-containing composite material—e.g., a multilayer film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A composition of matter comprising:
a plurality of quantum dots; and, a metal thiol polymer.

2 . The composition recited in claim 1 wherein the metal thiol polymer is a zinc thiol polymer.

3 . The composition recited in claim 2 wherein the zinc thiol polymer is a zinc alkanethiolate.

4 . The composition recited in claim 3 wherein the zinc alkanethiolate is zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT).

5 . The composition recited in claim 1 further comprising a resin material different from the metal thiol polymer.

6 . The composition recited in claim 1 formulated as a dry powder.

7 . The composition recited in claim 1 formulated as a solution.

8 . A composition of matter comprising:
a powder comprising a plurality of beads, wherein each bead comprises:
a primary matrix material comprising Zn-DDT; and
a population of quantum dot nanoparticles incorporated into the primary matrix material.

9 . The composition recited in claim 8 wherein the primary matrix material contains at least about 10% by weight Zn-DDT.

10 . The composition recited in claim 8 wherein the primary matrix material contains at least about 20% by weight Zn-DDT.

11 . The composition recited in claim 8 further comprising:
a surface coating disposed on each bead, the surface coating comprising at least one surface coating layer.

12 . The composition recited in claim 11 wherein each surface coating layer consists essentially of one or more monolayers of a coating material.

13 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the primary matrix material is silica, a resin, a polymer, a monolith, a glass, a sol-gel, an epoxy, a silicone, or a (meth)acrylate.

14 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating is an inorganic material.

15 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating is a metal oxide.

16 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating is aluminum oxide or silicon oxide.

17 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating is polymeric.

18 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating is an alkoxide alloy polymer.

19 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the quantum dot nanoparticles comprise indium and phosphorus.

20 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the quantum dot nanoparticles are essentially free of cadmium.

21 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein the surface coating comprises two or more surface coating layers comprising different materials.

22 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein each bead comprises about 1000 to about 10,000 nanoparticles.

23 . The composition of claim 8 , wherein each bead comprises about 10,000 to about 100,000 quantum dot nanoparticles.

24 . A method for preparing quantum dot beads comprising:
preparing a first solution comprising a monomer, a cross-linker, and a polymerization photoinitiator; dispersing quantum dots in the first solution to produce a second solution; mixing the second solution with Zn-DDT polymer to produce a third solution; adding the third solution to an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol and a surfactant under continuous stirring to form a fourth solution; and, exposing the fourth solution to ultraviolet light to form quantum dot beads.

25 . A composite material comprising:
quantum dots; a resin; and, a metal-thiol polymer.

26 . The composite material recited in claim 25 wherein the metal thiol polymer is a zinc thiol polymer.

27 . The composite material recited in claim 26 wherein the zinc thiol polymer is a zinc alkanethiolate.

28 . The composition recited in claim 27 wherein the zinc alkanethiolate is zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT).

29 . The composite material recited in claim 25 wherein the resin comprises an epoxy acrylate resin with a bi-functional monomer.

30 . The composite material recited in claim 25 wherein the resin comprises a low T g acrylate resin.

31 . The composite material recited in claim 25 wherein the resin comprises a high T g acrylate resin.

32 . A composite material comprising:
quantum dots embedded in a resin comprising a metal-thiol polymer,
wherein the quantum dots embedded in a resin comprising a metal-thiol polymer are in the form of a ground composite powder.

33 . The composite material recited in claim 32 wherein the metal-thiol polymer is Zn-DDT.

34 . A composite film comprising:
a first barrier layer; a second barrier layer; a layer of quantum dots embedded in a resin comprising a metal-thiol polymer disposed between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.

35 . The composite film recited in claim 34 wherein the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer are substantially impermeable to oxygen and water vapor.

36 . A method for preparing zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT) polymer comprising:
adding zinc acetate to a synthetic heat transfer fluid to form a first solution; annealing the first solution under an inert atmosphere; then, adding dodecanethiol to the first solution in an amount relative to the amount of anhydrous zinc acetate used to provide a second solution; annealing the second solution; cooling the second solution; adding a non-solvent to precipitate Zn-DDT polymer; dissolving the precipitated Zn-DDT in a non-polar solvent to produce a third solution and insoluble material; and, drying the insoluble material.

37 . The method recited in claim 36 wherein adding dodecanethiol to the first solution in an amount relative to the amount of anhydrous zinc acetate used to provide a second solution comprises adding dodecanethiol in an amount such that the second solution has a Zn-to-S ratio of about 1:0.9.

38 . A method for preparing zinc dodecanethiolate (Zn-DDT) polymer comprising:
adding zinc dimethacrylate to a synthetic heat transfer fluid to form a first solution; annealing the first solution under an inert atmosphere; then, adding dodecanethiol to the first solution in an amount relative to the amount of anhydrous zinc acetate used to provide a second solution; annealing the second solution; cooling the second solution; adding a non-solvent to precipitate Zn-DDT polymer; and, drying the precipitated Zn-DDT polymer to produce a powder consisting essentially of Zn-DDT polymer.

39 . The method recited in claim 38 wherein adding dodecanethiol to the first solution in an amount relative to the amount of anhydrous zinc acetate used to provide a second solution comprises adding dodecanethiol in an amount such that the second solution has a Zn-to-S ratio of about 1:0.9.

Assignees

• Nanoco Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Werner Matthew
• Peek Benjamin
• Ali Abu Mohammad Imroz
• Salma Shahin
• Daniels Steven
• Harris James

Classifications

• C09K11/02 Primary

  Use of particular materials as binders, particle coatings or suspension media therefor · CPC title

• H10H20/854

  characterised by their material, e.g. epoxy or silicone resins · CPC title

• H10H20/8512

  Wavelength conversion materials · CPC title

• H10H20/0362

  of encapsulations · CPC title

• H10H20/0361

  of wavelength conversion means · CPC title