Synthesis of quantum dot-tagged submicrometer polystyrene particles by miniemulsion polymerization.
Submicrometer fluorescent polystyrene (PS) particles have been synthesized via miniemulsion polymerization using CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs). The influence of QD concentration, QD coating (either trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)-coated or vinyl-functionalized), and surfactant concentration on the polymerization kinetics and the photoluminescence properties of the prepared particles has been analyzed. Polymerization kinetics were not altered by the presence of QDs, whatever their surface coating. Latexes exhibited particle sizes ranging from 100 to 350 nm, depending on surfactant concentration, and a narrow particle size distribution was obtained in all cases. The fluorescence signal of the particles increased with the number of incorporated TOPO-coated QDs. The slight red shift of the emission maximum was correlated with phase separation between PS and QDs, which occurred during the polymerization, locating the QDs in the vicinity of the particle/water interface. QD-tagged particles displayed higher fluorescence intensity with TOPO-coated QDs compared to those with the vinyl moiety. The obtained fluorescent particles open up new opportunities for a variety of applications in biotechnology.
Joumaa
Nancy
N
UMR 2714 CNRS-bioMérieux Systèmes Macromoléculaires et Physiopathologie Humaine-ENS Lyon-46, allée d'Italie-69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France.
Lansalot
Muriel
M
Théretz
Alain
A
Elaissari
Abdelhamid
A
Sukhanova
Alyona
A
Artemyev
Mikhail
M
Nabiev
Igor
I
Cohen
Jacques H M
JH
D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D004655:Emulsions; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D004655:Emulsions; D011137:Polystyrenes; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C058667:cadmium selenide; C031238:zinc sulfide