Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) have demonstrated widespread applications in light-emitting devices , photovoltaics , catalysis , biomedicines , etc. The confinement of electronic states in the semiconductor core endows them with tailorable optoelectronic properties and photocatalytic capabilities . While the surface layer of organic ligands plays a crucial role to stabilize their core structures , to control their shapes and morphology , and to modulate the surface chemistry .