Synthesis of highly luminescent mercaptosuccinic acid‐coated CdSe nanocrystals under atmospheric conditions

Here we report a facile one‐pot method for the preparation of high‐quality CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) in aqueous solution under an air atmosphere. Compared with the traditional use of NaHSe or H₂Se, the more stable sodium selenite is utilized as the Se source for preparing highly luminescent CdSe nanocrystals. By using mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) as the capping agent and borate–citrate acid as the buffering solution, CdSe nanocrystals with high quantum yield (up to 70%) have been synthesized conveniently. The influence of different experimental parameters, such as the pH of the precursor solution, the molar ratio of Cd²⁺ to Na₂SeO₃ and Cd²⁺ to MSA on the CdSe nanocrystals, has been systematically investigated. The prepared CdSe NCs were spherical with a size of ~ 5 nm. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.