Synthesis of CuAlS2/ZnS Quantum Dots for Photocatalysis

This project aims to explore the development and utilization of anisotropic heterostructure nanoparticles to optimize artificial photosynthetic processes with the goal of converting solar energy into other advantageous forms of energy. CuAlS2/ZnS quantum dots are considerable for large scale sustainable energy systems due to their earth-abundant composition and their potential for high efficiency photocatalytic performance. The potential for high efficiency photocatalytic performance is theorized due to their type-II band alignment, an electronic structure ideal for photocatalysis. However, the synthesis of these nanoparticles has been met with obstacles due to limited precursor options and challenges with reagent handling. This work demonstrates improved synthetic protocols for CuAlS2/ZnS quantum dots with higher yields of monodisperse samples. CuAlS2/ZnS is notoriously difficulty to handle and purify without decomposing the particles, however, the described work highlights a new, robust purification procedure to isolate monodisperse quantum dots. With these improvements, future work will explore the photocatalytic capabilities of CuAlS2/ZnS quantum dots through the development of new photoredox reactions, such as bond cleavage, hydrogen evolution, and alkyl cross coupling.