A proof of concept study of preparing ultra bright silicon quantum dots based on synergistic effect of reductants

The concept of synergistic effect has been widely applied into various scientific research areas, ranging from life science to material science, nevertheless it has been rarely adopted in the synthesis of quantum dots (QDs). This proof-of-concept study was the preparation of ultra-bright silicon QDs with a relative quantum yield of up to 84.92% based on the synergistic effect of two reductants, whilst silane coupling agent as the silicon source. Compared with the conventional one-reductant strategy, our as-prepared silicon QDs exhibit greatly enhanced quantum yields with even tunable emission wavelength , meanwhile, inheriting other merits including good pH, salt tolerance, small particle size and amino-rich surface, which is conducive to biological applications. The highly efficient and stable photoluminescence of silicon QDs could definitely facilitate their prospective applications as optical materials.