Optoelectronics of Stochiometrically Controlled Palladium Telluride Quantum Dots

Abstract

Water dispersed PdTe semiconducting nanocrystals were synthesized and stabilised with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA). HRTEM studies revealed the formation of spherical nanoparticles of average size ~4 nm with good crystallinity. UV-visible spectral analysis and band gap measurements confirmed that the nanocrystals are indeed semiconductors. This semiconducting characteristic was supported by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data which gave Bode plots with absolute frequency and a maximum frequency phase angle values of 38.3° and 75°, respectively. Electroanalysis of the film on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) verified the retention of the ability of Pd to adsorb hydrogen on its surface as well as absorb hydrogen within its lattice.