Robust, Uniform, and Highly Emissive Quantum Dot–Polymer Films and Patterns Using Thiol–Ene Chemistry

This work demonstrates a facile and versatile method for generating low scattering cross-linked quantum dot (QD)–polymer composite films and patterned highly emissive structures with ultrahigh QD loading, minimal phase separation, and tunable mechanical properties. Uniform QD–polymer films are fabricated using thiol–ene chemistry, in which cross-linked polymer networks are rapidly produced in ambient conditions via fast UV polymerization in bulk to suppress QD aggregation. UV-controlled thiol–ene chemistry limits phase separation through producing highly QD loaded cross-linked composites with loadings above majority of those reported in the literature (<1%) and approaching 30%. As the QD loading is increased, the thiol and ene conversion decreases, resulting in nanocomposites with widely variable and tailorable mechanical properties as a function of UV irradiation time with an elastic modulus decreasing to 1 GPa being characteristic of reinforced elastomeric materials, in contrast to usually observed stif...