Efficient one-pot synthesis of highly photoluminescent alkyl-functionalised silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

The chemical reduction of micelles formed by mixing silicon tetrachloride and hexyltrichlorosilane in apolar solvent, where hexyltrichlorosilane serves as both reactant and surfactant, yields brightly luminescent silicon nanocrystals, and enables efficient synthesis of alkyl-functionalised silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) in a single step.