US 12398320 B1Patent grantUnited States

One-Pot Bismuth Oxyiodide Quantum Dots

Official patent title

Bizmuth oxyiodide quantum dots and method for making

Arabic title: نقاط كمومية من أوكسي يوديد البزموت وطريقة تصنيعها

Invention

Problem

Conventional bismuth oxyiodide quantum-dot synthesis often uses solvothermal treatment, autoclaves, microwave heating, reflux, or multiple solvents, increasing process complexity and influencing crystal size, morphology, and optical behavior.

Why it matters

A solution-based formation step without added heat could simplify quantum-dot research and scale-up studies, but product uniformity, optical performance, photocatalytic function, lifecycle impact, and production economics need independent validation.

Approach

The one-pot method combines a bismuth-salt solution and an aqueous iodide-salt solution with a polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate solution, then filters the resulting bismuth oxyhalide quantum dots.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include quantum-dot and photocatalyst researchers, optical-material laboratories, sensor developers, nanomaterial suppliers, and process teams seeking lower-temperature wet-chemical production routes.

Potential value

The patent defines a one-pot formation sequence without added heat, selected precursor and surfactant classes, a 1:1 Bi:I ratio, nanometer-scale size, and claimed surface-area and bandgap ranges.

Background

Quantum dots have size-dependent electronic and optical properties useful in photocatalysis, sensing, solar-energy, and other device research. Their performance depends strongly on crystallinity, size, morphology, surface chemistry, and repeatability. Bismuth oxyiodide is studied as a visible-light-responsive p-type semiconductor, but conventional preparation commonly relies on hydrothermal or solvothermal heating, autoclave incubation, microwave processing, reflux, or lengthy wet-chemical steps. The disclosure seeks a simpler formation route based on mixing precursor solutions and a surfactant before filtration.

Technology overview

A bismuth salt is dissolved in polyethylene glycol, methylene glycol, tri-ethylene glycol, or ethylene glycol, while LiI, NaI, KI, or CsI is dissolved in water. The solutions are combined and added to an aqueous polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate solution, then filtered. Claim 1 specifies formation without added heat, a 1:1 Bi:I molar ratio, and 1–8.0 nm size by SEM. Other claims define stirring, surfactant content, optional drying at 100–115 °C, 59–82 m2/g surface area, and a 1.80–2 eV bandgap.

Potential applications

Potential visible-light photocatalyst material research.
Potential optical and photoluminescent material studies.
Potential quantum-dot sensing platform development.
Potential wet-chemical process scale-up studies.

Evidence-supported advantages

Uses a one-pot solution-combination sequence.
Forms the quantum dots without added heat in claim 1.
Specifies a 1:1 bismuth-to-iodide molar ratio.
Defines quantum-dot size, surface-area, and bandgap ranges.

Development stage

Patent publication describing quantum-dot synthesis and material characterization; independent validation and commercialization were not established.

Commercial opportunity

The method may interest quantum-dot, optical-material, and photocatalyst suppliers. Development requires independent confirmation of phase identity, size distribution, batch repeatability, surfactant residues, optical and photocatalytic performance, colloidal stability, aging, purification, solvent recovery, drying effects, toxicity and environmental fate, scale-up mixing and filtration, yield, and comparative production cost.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

C09K11/74Materials for applications not otherwise provided for; applications of materials not otherwise provided for
C01G29/00Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F

CPC

C01G29/00Compounds containing metals not covered by subclasses C01D or C01F
C09K11/7428Materials for applications not otherwise provided for; applications of materials not otherwise provided for

Inventors

First inventorBabiker Y. Abdulkhair
InventorFaisal K. Algethami
InventorMohamed R. Elamin

Keywords

bismuth oxyiodide
quantum dots
one-pot synthesis
no added heat
Bi:I ratio
surfactant
bandgap
photocatalysis

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.