Simple one-pot aqueous synthesis of CdHgTe nanocrystals using sodium tellurite as the Te source

In this work, we systematically investigated the one-pot aqueous synthesis conditions of CdHgTe nanocrystals (NCs) using sodium tellurite (Na ₂TeO₃) as the Te source, and found that the added content of Hg²⁺ and the initial pH value of reaction solutions significantly affected the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) of alloyed CdHgTe NCs. When the concentration of Cd was 1.0 mmol L^-1, the mole ratio of Cd/Te/Hg/MPA was 1:0.5:0.05:2.4, and the initial pH value of the reaction solution was about 8.78, the PL QY of as-prepared CdHgTe NCs was up to 45%. Characterization by HRTEM and XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of CdHgTe NCs. Compared to other synthetic approaches of CdHgTe NCs, our experimental results indicate that Na₂TeO₃ could be an attractive alternative Te source to directly synthesize CdHgTe NCs in aqueous media.