Alignment of colloidal CdS nanowires embedded in polymer nanofibers by electrospinning

Colloidal synthesis of CdS QWs at relatively low temperatures (117 C) using the thermolysis process led to the formation of wires with a typical width of ≈ 6 nm and a length of ≈ 100 nm. Electrospinning of the QWs with a PEO polymer solution produced nanofibers embedded with concentric QWs, with unidirectional alignment of their long axis with respect to the stretching direction of the fibers. Furthermore, the static electric field induced a collection of these nanofibers on a rotating wheel to form one-dimensional nanoropes. The emission spectra of the aligned QWs showed a linear polarization, which is significantly important for polarized-light sources in high-resolution detection of polarized light or in other optical elements in the visible and near-IR spectral regime.