SBIR Phase II: New Low Cost and Large Scale Manufacturing of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) phase II project is in removing key manufacturing barriers that are currently hindering commercialization of semiconductor nanocrystals in diverse market segments worldwide. The unique size- and shape-related properties of these materials make them ideal for light emission applications (including lighting and displays) and light harnessing applications (solar panels). If successful, nanocrystals will be produced in large quantities, inexpensively, and uniformly, resulting in a disruptive advance for existing markets and emerging applications. With greater availability and affordability, nanocrystals can be more easily utilized for more energy efficient lighting and displays, improve color quality in displays (laptops, tablets, cameras and mobile devices), increase efficiency of solar panels, and penetrate more widely into advancing applications in medical research, diagnostics and treatment. Emerging applications include the use of semiconductor nanocrystals for biofuel cells, lasers, fiber optics, electronics, security and surveillance, aviation and geothermal tracers. This project continues the work initiated in Phase I on development of a low cost manufacturing method for production of large-scale and consistently high-quality semiconductor nanocrystals quantum dots urgently needed for their commercialization. The proposed research activities directly address this need through an innovative proprietary low-temperature wet chemical synthesis route. Compared to the conventional high-temperature synthesis route, this method can more precisely control the size and shape of products - properties that are necessary for successful incorporation of these products into end-user applications. Additionally, it circumvents scaling limitations of conventional high-temperature synthesis routes. In Phase I, we have successfully demonstrated scale up of high quality CdSe nanocrystal quantum dots in a laboratory scale while lowering cost of production using our method. This Phase II funding focuses on demonstrating scaled-up production of larger quantities of high-quality nanocrystals, including heavy metal free quantum dots using our low-temperature method. It will also focus on post-synthesis processing of CdSe quantum dots developed in Phase I to meet Original Equipment Manufacturers? specifications. Scale up to commercially viable amounts will be studied by developing a continuous flow model as well as by improving purification efficiency of the low temperature method.