Segmented flow-based multistep synthesis of cadmium selenide quantum dots with narrow particle size distribution

A continuous-flow microreactor was used to synthetize II-VI semiconductor quantum dots (CdSe). In order to improve the size distribution of the nanoparticles, the synthesis was carried out in a two-step procedure. A seed solution was obtained in a separate nucleation step, followed by a controllable growth step. Quantum dots that are synthesized with the two-step method show a much narrower size distribution in comparison to those obtained in a conventional batch synthesis.