Decorating multi-walled carbon nanotubes with quantum dots for construction of multi-color fluorescent nanoprobes.
Novel multi-color fluorescent nanoprobes were prepared by electrostatically assembling differently sized CdTe quantum dots on polyethylenimine (PEI) functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The structural and optical properties of the nano-assemblies (MWNTs-PEI-CdTe) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction spectra (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also applied to investigate the electrostatic assembling among oxidized MWNTs, PEI and CdTe. Furthermore, confocal fluorescence microscopy was used to monitor the nano-assemblies' delivery into tumor cells. It was found that the nano-assemblies exhibit efficient intracellular transporting and strong intracellular tracking. These properties would make this luminescent nano-assembly an excellent building block for the construction of intracellular nanoprobes, which could hold great promise for biomedical applications.
Jia
Nengqin
N
Department of Chemistry, Life and Environmental Science College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Lian
Qiong
Q
Tian
Zhong
Z
Duan
Xin
X
Yin
Min
M
Jing
Lihong
L
Chen
Shouhui
S
Shen
Hebai
H
Gao
Mingyuan
M
D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003116:Color; D006801:Humans; D007097:Imines / Q000737:chemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry
D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D007097:Imines; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011095:Polyethylenes; C505405:poly(ethylene imine); D013691:Tellurium; C028337:cadmium telluride