Arrested precipitation, formation

Historically, QDs were first synthesized in glass matrices where the slow difiusion of precursors provided some measure of size control. In the last couple of decades, colloidal techniques have advanced to the point that parameters such as precursor reactivity, temperature, surfactants etc. can be independently tuned to control and regulate nanocrystal formation. This enables the synthesis of high quality solvent dispersible particles that may be further processed using simple wet-chemical methods. Qne of the earliest techniques employed to achieve this is known as the arrested precipitation method where the semiconductor growth is arrested after the... 

Reetz and coworkers [257-265] have pioneered the electrochemical s mthesis of metal nanocrystals. Their method represents a refinement of the classical electrorefining process and consists of six elementary steps they are oxidative dissolution of anode, migration of metal ions to the cathodes, reduction of ions to zero-valent state, formation of particles by nucleation and growth, arrest of growth by capping agents, and precipitation of particles. The steps... 

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