A rapid and simple aqueous method has been developed for synthesizing CdTe/CdS core shell quantum dots (QDs) by refluxing glutathione (GSH) with Cd²⁺ and Te²⁻ precursors at 100 °C without using inert medium. Here GSH has dual role, i.e., as an in-situ source of sulphide for deposition of CdS on CdTe and as a capping agent to stabilize the CdTe/CdS QDs. As the refluxing time was enhanced from 15 min to 105 min, the sizes of the spherical shaped CdTe/CdS QDs increased from 2.8 ± 0.8 nm to 3.9 ± 1.1 nm, the crystalline nature improved, GSH capping content decreased and the CdS shell deposition was increased. The size dependent change in photoluminescence (PL) from green to red was observed. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) was improved with refluxing time and maximum PLQY was obtained for the batch synthesized by 60 min refluxing. The PL of these QDs were drastically quenched by ppb levels of Cu²⁺ ions. Instead of the batch with maximum PLQY, the best Cu²⁺ sensitivity and selectivity was obtained for the batch synthesized by refluxing for 30 min. This is due to optimal GSH capping content required for availability of Cu²⁺ ions at the surface of the QDs for favorable electron transfer process, confirmed by PL decay kinetic studies.

已经开发了一种快速简单的水性方法，可在不使用惰性介质的情况下，通过将谷胱甘肽（GSH）与Cd ²⁺和Te ^2-的前体在100°C下回流，来合成CdTe / CdS核壳量子点（QD）。在这里，GSH具有双重作用，即作为原位硫化物源，用于在CdTe上沉积CdS，并用作封端剂以稳定CdTe / CdS QD。随着回流时间从15分钟增加到105分钟，球形CdTe / CdS QD的尺寸从2.8±0.8 nm增加到3.9±1.1 nm，结晶性得到改善，GSH封端含量降低，CdS壳沉积增加。观察到从绿色到红色的光致发光（PL）的尺寸依赖性变化。随着回流时间的增加，光致发光量子产率（PLQY）得到提高，并且通过60分钟回流获得的合成批料获得了最大的PLQY。这些QD的PL被ppb级的Cu ²⁺离子彻底淬灭。最好的Cu ²⁺代替具有最大PLQY的批次通过回流30分钟获得合成批料的灵敏度和选择性。这是由于PL衰变动力学研究证实，QDs表面具有Cu ²⁺离子以实现良好的电子转移过程所需的最佳GSH封端含量。