• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.451-451
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• 2012

Instead of a highly toxic CdSe and ZnScore-shell,InP/ZnSecore-shell quantum dots [1,2] were investigated as an active material for quantum dot light emitting diode (QD-LED). In this paper, aquantum dot light-emitting diode (QDLED), consisting of a InP/ZnS core-shell type materials, with the device structure of glass/indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/PEDOT:PSS/Poly-TPD/InP-ZnS core-shell quantum dot/Cesium carbonate(CsCO3)/Al was fabricated through a simple spin coating technique. The resulting InP/ZnS core-shell QDs, emitting near blue green wavelength, were more efficient than the above CdSe QDs, and their luminescent properties were comparable to those of CdSe QDs.Thebrightness ofInP/ZnS QDLED was maximumof 179cd/m2.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2013

Quantum dots (QDs) have received considerable attention due to their potential role in photosensitization during photodynamic therapy. Although QDS are attractive nanomaterials due to their novel and unique physicochemical properties, concerns about their toxicity remain. We suggest a combination strategy, CdSe/ZnS QDs together with curcumin, a natural yellow pigment from turmeric, to reduce QD-induced cytotoxicity. The aim of this study was to explore a potentially effective cancer treatment: co-exposure of HL-60 cells and human normal lymphocytes to CdSe/ZnS QDs and curcumin. Cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and DNA damage induced by QDs and/or curcumin with or without ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation were evaluated in both HL-60 cells and normal lymphocytes. In HL-60 cells, cell death, apoptosis, ROS generation, and single/double DNA strand breaks induced by QDs were enhanced by treatment with curcumin and UVA irradiation. The protective effects of curcumin on cell viability, apoptosis, and ROS generation were observed in normal lymphocytes, but not leukemia cells. These results demonstrated that treatment with QD combined with curcumin increased cell death in HL-60 cells, which was mediated by ROS generation. However, curcumin acted as an antioxidant in cultured human normal lymphocytes.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2007

Luminescent CdSe/ZnS QDs, with emission in the red region of the spectrum, were synthesized and encapsulated in poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide) diblock copolymer micelles, to prepare water-soluble, bio-compatible QD micelles. PEG-PLA diblock copolymers were synthesized by ring opening polymerization of D,L-lactide, in the presence of methoxy PEG as a macro initiator. QDs were encapsulated with PEG-PLA polymers using a solid dispersion method in chloroform. The resultant polymer micelles, with encapsulated QDs, were characterized using various analytical techniques, such as UV- Vis measurement, light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic forced microscopy (AFM). The polymer micelles, with encapsulated QDs, were spherical and showed diameters in the range of 20-150 nm. The encapsulated QDs were highly luminescent, and have high potential for applications in biomedical imaging and detection.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2009

Conjugated nanocrystals using CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystal quantum dots modified by organic linkers and glucose oxidase (GOx) were prepared for use as biosensors. The trioctylphophine oxide (TOPO)-capped QDs were first modified to give them water-solubility by terminal carboxyl groups that were bonded to the amino groups of GOx through an EDC/NHS coupling reaction. As the glucose concentration increased, the photoluminescence intensity was enhanced linearly due to the electron transfer during the enzymatic reaction. The UV-visible spectra of the as-prepared QDs are identical to that of QDs-MAA. This shows that these QDs do not become agglomerated during ligand exchanges. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic study showed that the PL intensity of the QDs-GOx bioconjugates was increased in the presence of glucose. These glucose sensors showed linearity up to approximately 15 mM and became gradually saturated above 15 mM because the excess glucose did not affect the enzymatic oxidation reaction past that amount. These biosensors show highly sensitive variation in terms of their photoluminescence depending on the glucose concentration.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1555-1560
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• 2010

Quantum dots (QDs) are extensively employed for biomedical research as a fluorescence reporter and their use for various labeling applications will continue to increase as they are preferred over conventional labeling methods for various reasons. However, concerns have been raised over the toxicity of these particles in the biological system. Till date no thorough investigation has been carried out to identify the molecular signatures of QD mediated toxicity. In this study we evaluated the toxicity of CdSe, $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots having different spectral properties (red, blue, green) using human embryonic kidney fibroblast cells (HEK293). Cell viability assay for both short and long duration exposure show concentration material dependent toxicity, in the order of CdSe > $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS > CdSe/ZnS. Genome wide changes in the expression of genes upon QD exposure was also analyzed by wholegenome microarray. All the three QDs show increase in the expression of genes related to apoptosis, inflammation and response towards stress and wounding. Further comparison of coated versus uncoated CdSe QD-mediated cell death and molecular changes suggests that ZnS coating could reduce QD mediated cytotoxicity to some extent only.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.657-663
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• 2012

The spherical mesoporous silica is synthesized and incorporated with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots(QDs) for preparing micro beads to detect toxic and bio-materials with high sensitivity. The spherical silica beads with the brunauer-emmett-telle(BET) average pore size of 15 nm were prepared with a ratio 1, 3, 5-trimethylbenzen, as a swelling agent, to the block-copolymer template surfactant of over 1 and under vigorous mixing condition. The surface of spherical mesoporous silica is modified using octadecylsilane for incorporating QDs. Based on photoluminescence(PL) spectra, the relative brightness of mesoporous silica beads incorporated with 10 nM of QDs is 79,000 times brighter than that of Rodamine 6 G.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2013

The water soluble quantum dots (QDs) are synthesized by the phase transfer and silica coating reaction. The photoluminescence intensity of silica-coated QDs are mainly affected by the amount of phase transfer agent, SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate), and the maximum value is obtained at the cmc (critical micell concentration) concentration of SDS in the phase transfer reaction. Based on fluorescence spectra and field emission transmission electron microscope (FETEM), the energy transfer rate by forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is increasing with the thickness of the silica shell coated on CdSe/ZnS QDs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.856-862
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• 2013

The photoanode electrode of $TiO_2$ nanotubes (NTs) anchored with ZnS/CdSSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) was prepared by anodization of Ti metal and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) procedure. The tuning of the band gap of CdSSe was done with controlled composition of Cd, S, or Se during the SILAR. A ladder-like energy structure suitable for carrier transfer was attained with the photoanode electrode. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of our solar cell fabricated with the regular array of $TiO_2$ NTs anchored with CdSSe/CdS or CdSe/CdS QDs [i.e., (CdSSe/CdS/$TiO_2NTs$) or (CdSe/CdS/$TiO_2NTs$)] was PCE = 3.49% and 2.81% under the illumination at 100 mW/$cm^2$, respectively. To protect the photocorrosion of our solar cell from the electrolyte and to suppress carrier recombination, ZnS was introduced onto CdSSe/CdS. The PCE of our solar cell with the structure of a photoanode electrode, (ZnS/CdSSe/CdS/$TiO_2$ NTs/Ti) was 4.67% under illumination at 100 mW/$cm^2$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.215-215
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• 2014

Red color light emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated using CdSe/CdZnS quantum dots (QDs). During the device fabrication process, oxygen plasma treatment on the ITO surface was performed to improve the interfacial contact between ITO anode and the hole injection layer. CdSe/CdZnS quantum dots were cross-linked to remove their surrounded organic surfactants. The device shows red emission at 622 nm, which is consistent with the dimension of the QDs (band gap=1.99 eV). The luminance shows 6026% improvement compared with that of LEDs fabricated without oxygen plasma treatment and quantum dots cross-linking process. This approach would be useful for the fabrication of high-performance QLEDs with ITO electrode and PEDOT:PSS hole injection layers.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.91-94
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• 2016

High-quality colloidal CdSe/ZnS (core/shell) is synthesized using a continuous microreactor. The particle size of the synthesized quantum dots (QDs) is a function of the precursor flow rate; as the precursor flow rate increases, the size of the QDs decreases and the band gap energy increases. The photoluminescence properties are found to depend strongly on the flow rate of the CdSe precursor owing to the change in the core size. In addition, a gradual shift in the maximum luminescent wave (${\lambda}_{max}$) to shorter wavelengths (blue shift) is found owing to the decrease in the QD size in accordance with the quantum confinement effect. The ZnS shell decreases the surface defect concentration of CdSe. It also lowers the thermal energy dissipation by increasing the concentration of recombination. Thus, a relatively high emission and quantum yield occur because of an increase in the optical energy emitted at equal concentration. In addition, the maximum quantum yield is derived for process conditions of 0.35 ml/min and is related to the optimum thickness of the shell material.