Charge Transfer as a Probe for the Interfacial Properties of Quantum Dot-Ligand Complexe

This dissertation describes the study of charge transfer interactions between colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and molecular redox partners in the context of both fundamental investigations of charge recombination mechanisms in nanocrystal-molecule systems, and as a technique to probe the properties of the QD ligand shell. Charge separation in a system of CdS nanocrystals and organic hole acceptors results in the formation of a spin-correlated radical ion pair. Interrogating this photogenerated species with EPR and magnetic field effect transient absorption techniques reveals that the charge recombination dynamics of this donor-acceptor system are dictated by the radical pair intersystem crossing mechanism on the nanosecond timescale. These experiments also indicate that the photoinjected electron localizes at a CdS QD surface trap state, and the coupling between the electron and hole in this spin-correlated system is low. Additional studies involving the CdS QDs and organic hole acceptors are proposed which would investigate the exchange of charge and energy within the nanocrystal organic adlayer. Collisional charge transfer interactions between substituted benzoquinone molecules and PbS QDs coated with mixed monolayers of oleic acid and perfluorodecanethiol are monitored via photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopies. These experiments reveal that partially fluorinated ligand shells are less permeable to solution phase molecules and offer greater protection of the nanocrystal surface than their aliphatic counterparts. Only a small amount of fluorinated surfactant (~20% surface coverage) is necessary to profoundly change the permeability of the ligand shell, and the protective nature of these fluorinated molecules is likely a combination of the molecular volume and oleophobicity of these ligands. Follow up work is discussed which would elucidate the influence of solvent and extent of surfactant fluorination on the permeability of these ligand shells, as well as using quantum dots to catalyze reactions between coadsorbed molecules. The research described in this dissertation furthers the study of charge transfer as a means to more completely understand QD-molecule hybrid systems and will inform design parameters for incorporating quantum dots into light harvesting and light emitting platforms.