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>Magister Scientiae - MSc / In this study PbSe quantum dots (QDs) were successfully synthesized via the organometallic and aqueous routes. Optical characterization was carried out using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, structural and morphological characterization were carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to determine the composition of the QDs. All the synthesized QDs were found to have emissions within the near-infrared region of the spectrum (≥1000 nm) with most of them being less than 5 nm in size. The aqueous synthesized QDs had a perfect Gaussian emission spectrum with a FWHM of ~23 nm indicating pure band gap emission and narrow size distribution respectively. The QDs were determined to have a cubic rock-salt crystal structure consistent with bulk PbSe. The aqueous synthesized QDs were however not stable in solution with the QDs precipitating after approximately 48 h. The organometallic synthesized QDs were transferred into the aqueous phase by exchanging the surface oleic acid ligands with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid ligands. The ligand exchanged QDs were however stable in solution for over two weeks. The effects of reaction parameters on the optical and structural properties of the organometallic synthesized QDs were investigated by varying the reaction time, temperature, ligand purity, lead and selenium sources. It was observed that larger QDs were formed with longer reaction times, with reactions proceeding faster at higher reaction temperatures than at lower temperatures. Varying the ligand purity was found to have minimal effects on the properties of the synthesized QDs. The lead and selenium sources contributed largely to the properties of the QDs with lead oxide producing spherical QDs which were smaller compared to the cubic QDs produced from lead acetate. TBPSe was seen to produce smaller QDs as compared to TOPSe. The cytotoxity of the synthesized QDs was determined following the WST-1 cell viability assay with the QDs being found to be non-toxic at all the tested concentrations

This master thesis deals with nanotechnology, nanoparticles and nanostructured surfaces, electrochemical methods, especially voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and contact angle measurement. One part is focused on electrodes primarily nanostructured and modified by substancies with thiol bound. Tutorial for preparation of gold nanostructured electrods is introduced in practical section including SEM photos of electrode surface. Nanostructured and bare gold electrodes were modified by 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid, streptavidin, glycine and biotin and measured by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and contact angle.

Diploma thesis deals of nanostructured surfaces, nanoparticles and electrochemical characterization methods such as cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The aim of this thesis is a theoretical research issues of production and characterization nanostructured modified electrodes. The practical part is the production of biomodified nanostructured electrodes by anodi- zation W/Al layers with galvanic deposition of gold or deposition of mercury, a modifi- cation of the electrodes by 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and by bovine serum albumin (BSA). The thesis includes SEM images of nanostructured electrodes contact angle mea- surements of these electrodes and form an electrical circuit with subsequent simulation waveforms.