Temperature Sensitivity of Water-Soluble CdTe and CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Incorporated into Biopolymer Submicron Particles

Abstract

Polymer particles with sizes 0.3–0.4 μm are synthesized based on chitosan and chondroitin sulfate with incorporated CdTe (core) and CdSe/ZnS (core–shell) quantum dots. Their morphological and spectral properties are investigated by the methods of dynamic scattering, electron microscopy, and absorption and luminescence spectroscopy at temperatures from 10 to 80°С. Spectral effects associated with a change in temperature (a red shift and a decrease in the amplitude of the photoluminescence spectrum) can be explained by the temperature expansion of the quantum dots and activation of surface traps. It is shown that the temperature sensitivity of spectra of the quantum dots incorporated into the biopolymer particles is not less than in water. To develop an optical temperature sensor, the core quantum dots are more preferable than the core–shell quantum dots.