Development of plasmonic thin-layer chromatography for size-selective and optical-property-dependent separation of quantum dots

Abstract Nano-objects, such as quantum dots (QDs), are essential units for the construction of functional materials and devices in current technologies. The establishment a versatile scheme to sort desired components from crude product is crucial bringing out full potential original materials. However, it still challenging separate QDs with same composition on basis size but different optical properties. Here, we demonstrate sorting first time by combining plasmonic trapping thin-layer chromatography (TLC), which widely used tool. LED photoexcitation localized surface plasmon resonance Au nanoparticles immobilized TLC plate affected distance traveled depending wavelength intensity irradiated light, led clear separation according and/or properties QDs. Since property-based cannot be achieved conventional chromatography, interactions between stationary phases chromatographs simply based differences or functionality QDs, present strategy will key solution nano-objects.