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Cadmium selenide

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Cadmium selenide

General
Systematic name Cadmium selenide
Other names Cadmium(II) selenide
Molecular formula CdSe
Molar mass 191.37 g/mol
Appearance Greenish-brown
or dark red solid powder
CAS number
Properties
Density and phase 5.816 g/cm3, solid
Solubility in water Insoluble
Melting point 1268 °C (1541 K)
Structure
Coordination geometry ?
Crystal structure hexagonal (zincblende)
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
Main hazards ?
NFPA 704
R/S statement R: 20/21/22-50/53
S: 60-61
RTECS number ?
Supplementary data page
Structure & properties n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas

Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Other anions Cadmium sulfide
Cadmium telluride
Other cations Zinc selenide
Mercury(II) selenide
Silver selenide
Indium selenide
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state (at 25°C, 100 kPa)
[Chemical infoboxInfobox disclaimer and references]

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) is a solid, binary compound of cadmium and selenium. Common names for this compound are cadmium (II) selenide and cadmium selenide.

Cadmium selenide is a semiconducting material, but has yet to find many applications in manufacturing. This material is transparent to infra-red (IR) light, and has seen limited use in windows for instruments utilizing IR light.

Much current research on cadmium selenide has focused on nanoparticles. Researchers are concentrating on developing controlled syntheses of CdSe nanoparticles. In addition to synthesis, scientists are working to understand the properties of cadmium selenide, as well as apply these materials in useful ways.

History

Production

The production of cadmium selenide has been carried out in two different ways. The preparation of bulk crystalline CdSe is done by the High-Pressure Vertical Bridgman method or High-Pressure Vertical Zone Melting. (ref 1)

However, cadmium selenide in the bulk form is not very interesting. The most interesting form of cadmium selenide is known as nanoparticles. (see applications for explanation) Several methods for the production of CdSe nanoparticles have been developed: arrested precipitation in solution, synthesis in structured media, high temperature pyrolysis, sonochemical, and radiolytic methods are just a few. (ref 2)

Production of cadmium selenide by arrested precipitation in solution is performed by introducing alkylcadmium and trioctylphosphine selenide (TOPSe) precursors into a heated solvent under controlled conditions. (ref 3)

[Me_2Cd + TOPSe\ \rightarrow\ CdSe + byproducts].
Synthesis in structured environments refers to the production of cadmium selenide in liquid crystal or surfactant solutions. The addition to surfactants to solutions often results in a phase change in the solution leading to a liquid crystallinity. A liquid crystal is similar to a solid crystal in that the solution has long range translational order. Examples of this ordering are layered alternating sheets of solution and surfactant, miscelles, or even a hexagonal arrangement of rods.

High temperature pyrolysis synthesis is usually carried out using an aerosol containing a mixture of volitile cadmium and selenium precursors. The precursor aerosol is then carried through a furnace with an inert gas, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, or argon. In the furnace the precursors react to form CdSe as well as several by-products. (ref 2)

Chemistry

Applications

Cadmium selenide in its wurtzite crystal structure is an important II-VI semiconductor. As a semiconductor CdSe has a band gap of 1.74 eV at 300 K. It is an n-type semiconductor, which is difficult to dope p-type, however p-type doping has been achieved using nitrogen.(ref 4) CdSe is also being developed for use in opto-electronic devices, laser diodes, nanosensing, and biomedical imaging. (ref 5)

Most of the usefulness of CdSe stems from nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are just what the name implies, particles of CdSe that are 1-100nm (1 nm = 1*10-9 m) in size. CdSe particles of this size exhibit a property known as quantum confinement. Quantum confinement results when the electrons in a material confined to a very small volume. Quantum confinement is size dependent, meaning the properties of CdSe nanoparticles are tunable based on their size. (ref 6)

Since CdSe nanoparticles have a size dependent fluorescence spectrum, they are finding applications in optical devices such as laser diodes. Using these particles, engineers are able manufacture laser diodes that cover a large part of the electromagnetic spectrum. (ref 7)

Along similar lines, doctors are developing these materials for use in biomedical imaging applications. Human tissue is permeable to far infra-red light. Injecting appropriately prepared CdSe nanoparticles into injured tissue, it maybe possible to image the tissue in those injured areas. (ref 8)

Safety information

Harmful by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.

Information for safe handling: Keep container tightly sealed. Store in cool, dry place in tightly closed containers. Ensure good ventilation at the workplace. Prevent formation of dust.

Conditions to avoid: Avoid heat sparks and open flames. Reacts violently with acids, acid vapors, and moisture. Reacts violently with water. Reaction with water produces hydrogen selenide (toxic and flammable). (ref 9)

References

1. http://www.sttic.com.ru/lpcbc/Basics.html

2. Didenko, Y. Y.; Suslick K. S. Chemical Aerosol Flow Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanoparticles. J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (Communication); 2005; 127(35); 12196-12197

3. Bawendi et al. Synthesis of CdE Semiconductor Nanocrystallites. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 8706-8715

4. T Ohtsuka, J Kawamata, Z Zhu, T Yao, Applied Physics Letters, 65, 466-468, (1994)

5. Christopher Ma et al. Single-Crystal CdSe Nanosaws. J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 2004, 126, 708-709

6. http://www.ringsurf.com/info/Technology_/Nanotechnology/Structures/

7. Colvin, V. L.; Schlamp, M. C.; Alivisato, A. P. Nature 1994, 370, 354.

8. (a) Chan, W. C.; Nie, S. M. Science 1998, 281, 2016. (b) Bruchez, M.;Moronne, M.; Gin, P.; Weiss, S.; Alivisatos, A. P. Science 1998, 281, 2013.

9. Additional safety information available at www.msdsonline.com, search 'cadmium selenide.'

See also

Related materials

External links

 


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