Synthesis and characterization of oleic acid stabilized CdTe quantum dots and their properties as luminescence quencher of a pyridine pendented rod-coil homopolymer

We report a facile one-step non aqueous synthesis of oleic acid stabilized cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) with an average diameter of 3 nm to 4 nm by hot injection method. The synthesized oleic acid capped QDs observed by TEM were nearly spherical. The optical properties of QDs were characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The structures of QDs and their surface passivation were further verified using transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The quenching effect of the CdTe QD was explored by addition of CdTe nanocrystals into a solution of rod-coil homopolymer (poly[10-(6-(9,9-diethyl-7-(pyridin-4- yl)-9H-fluoren-2-yl)naphthalen-2-yloxy) decyl methacrylate]) (PFNA) having pendent pyridine. The gradual addition of quantum dots to the solution of PFNA quenched the PL spectra of PFNA. This may be used to explore the coordination ability of pyridine containing homopolymer with CdTe quantum dots.