Zinc quinolate complex decorated CuInS2/ZnS core/shell quantum dots for white light emission

Abstract

Herein, we report the fabrication of a single component white light emitting (WLE) nanocomposite – following the formation of a luminescent zinc quinolate complex (using 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) as a complexation agent) on the surface of the ZnS shell of CuInS2/ZnS core/shell quantum dots. The synchronous contribution of greenish blue emission by the zinc quinolate surface complex and red emission by the CuInS2/ZnS core/shell quantum dots led to white light generation from the nanocomposite upon UV excitation. The reported nanocomposite exhibited bright natural cool white light emission with chromaticity color coordinates of (0.32, 0.35) and (0.32, 0.33), color rendering indices (CRI) of 91 and 83 and correlated color temperatures (CCT) of 6087 K and 5930 K in the solution and solid phase, respectively. Importantly, the higher temperature (up to 200 °C) sustainable white light emitting nature and long term stability of the solid nanocomposite may have importance for solid state light emitting applications.