“Because typical quantum dots often contain toxic materials such as cadmium, lead or other
A type of quantum dot that was developed by the Japanesescientists are silicon quantum dots that do not contain heavy metals and have other advantages. Their stability and higher operating temperatures make them one of the best candidates for use in quantum computing, and their non-toxicity also allows them to be used in medical applications.
Researchers sought to develop a new typesilicon quantum dots that use production waste, they want to use for this approximately 100 million tons of rice husk waste generated in the world every year. Discarded rice husks are an excellent source of silicon, which scientists have been able to obtain thanks to a new processing method.
It includes grinding rice husks andcombustion of organic compounds to obtain silica powder, which was heated in a furnace. Then the obtained purified particles of silica powder were further reduced in size and added to the solvent for "chemical functionalization" of their surface. The finished product was 3 nanometer silicon quantum dots that glowed in the orange-red range.
In the future, scientists hope to improvecharacteristics of the LEDs so that they glow more efficiently, and to develop versions of colors other than orange-red. They also suggest that the technology could be adapted to use other plant wastes such as wheat, barley and grass.
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