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CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared in aqueous solution using various mercaptocarboxylic acids such as mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), mercaptoethylamine (MEA), and L-cysteine (L-Cys) as stabilizing agents. The pH control of QD suspensions is essential when using fluorescent QDs in biological systems. The pH-dependent photoluminescence (PL) of MPA-and L-Cys-stabilized CdTe QDs was systematically investigated. Experimental results showed that CdTe-L-Cys is effective within a wider pH range than CdTe-MPA and CdTe-MEA, although it is ineffective in the vicinity of the isoelectric point, which makes CdTe-L-Cys quantum dots potentially suitable as a biological labeling probe under physiological conditions. Meanwhile, the effect of stabilizer structure on QD size was studied by comparing CdTe-MPA and CdTe-L-Cys QDs using x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that the coordination of amines with cadmium reduced the activity of Cd precursors, and the coordination of S with the CdTe QDs affected their crystal structure, resulting in the formation of relatively large CdTe-L-Cys quantum dots.

A series of TiAlN/Si3N4 nano-multilayer films with various Si3N4 layer thicknesses were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. These multilayers were then annealed at temperatures ranging from 600 to 900°C in air for 1 hour. The composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the films were characterized by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and nanoindentation. It reveals that under the template effect of TiAlN layers in multilayers, as-deposited amorphous Si3N4 is crystallized and grows coherently with TiAlN layers when Si3N4 layer thickness is below 0.6 nm. Correspondingly, the hardness and elastic modulus of the multilayers increase significantly. With further increase in the layer thickness, Si3N4 transforms into amorphous, resulting in a decrease of hardness and modulus. The TiAlN/Si3N4 nano-multilayers could retain their superlattice structure even up to 900°C. The small decrease in the hardness of multilayers annealed below 800°C was correlated to the release of compressive stress in multilayers. However, oxidation was found on the surface of multilayers when annealed at 800°C, which resulted in a marked decrease in the hardness of multilayers. The multilayers presented higher hardness as compared with the monolithic TiAlN film.