HOMING PLUS

Project number: HOMING PLUS/2012-6/5

Principal investigator: Katarzyna Matras-Postołek, Prof., Ph.D., DSc.

Obtained funds: 340 000   PLN

Funding source:

Project duration:

Start day: 07-2013

End day: 09-2015

Project location: Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Warszawska St. 24, 31-155 Krakow, Poland

Team:

Katarzyna Matras-Postołek, Prof., Ph.D., DSc.

Ph.D. Eng. Adam Żaba

Ph.D. Eng. Svitlana Sovinska

Short description of the project:

In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on modifying the electrical and optical properties of polymer materials by incorporating functionalized semiconductor inorganic nanocrystals (NCs). Due to quantum size confinement of charge carriers and their exceptionally high surface-to-volume ratio, NCs exhibit unique electronic and optical characteristics. Key properties of NCs, such as their electronic structure (band gap), optical behavior, and magnetic properties, can be precisely adjusted by altering the size and shape of the nanocrystals. When integrated into polymers or porous materials, NCs and their alloys offer a wide range of potential applications, particularly in optoelectronics.

Despite years of research on hybrid polymer nanocomposite materials, achieving efficient charge transport in devices continues to be a significant challenge. As a result, new studies have been launched to explore transparent hybrid polymer nanocomposites that incorporate ZnS(Se) nanoparticles with enhanced charge transport properties for optoelectronic applications. The key aims of this research are (i) to develop a fabrication process for both zero-dimensional ZnS(Se) nanoparticles and anisotropic one-dimensional nanostructures, while also modifying their surfaces with ligands that boost charge transport, (ii) to investigate their size, morphology, and optical characteristics, (iii) to design novel hybrid polymer nanocomposites based on ZnS(Se) (1D) nanostructures using commercially available polymers, and (iv) to thoroughly examine their optical and electrical properties, which are essential from both technological and application perspectives.

Publications: 

• K. Matras-Postołek, A. Żaba , E. M. Nowak, P. Dąbczyński, J. Rysz, J. Sanetra, ”Formation and characterization of one-dimensional ZnS nanowires for ZnS/P3HT hybrid polymer solar cells with improved efficiency”, Applied Surface Science, 451, 2018, 180-190 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.04.239

• K. Matras-Postolek, K. Chojnacka-Gorka, M. Bredol, K. Guguła, ”Luminescent ZnSe:Mn/ ZnS@PMMA nanocomposites with improved refractive index and transparency” Journal of Luminescence, 203, 2018, 655-662, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2018.06.082

Patents: 

• K. Matras-Postołek, S. Sovinska ‘’Method for the preparation and surface modification of one-dimensional zinc selenide (ZnSe) nanocrystals‘’ no. P.435172 
• K. Matras-Postołek, A. Żaba, P. Dąbczyński ” Method for the preparation and surface modification of manganese-doped zinc sulphide nanorods (ZnS:Mn)” no. P.435170
• K. Matras-Postołek, S, Sovinska “Method for the production of one-dimensional heteronanocrystals of zinc selenide and silver selenide (Ag₂Se/ZnSe)” no. P.435169

Master’s thesis carried out as part of the project:

• Katarzyna Michalak,  ” Organic-inorganic hybrid zinc selenide (ZnSe) nanomaterials for optoelectronics” 
• Adama Żaba,  ”Organic-inorganic hybrid zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanomaterials for optoelectronics”
• Sviltana Sovinska, “Preparation and investigation of the properties of nanomaterialsbased on zinc selenide (ZnSe)”