title: Synthesis of ultra-stable fluorescent carbon dots from polyvinylpyrrolidone and their application in the detection of hydroxyl radicals.
abstract: Highly biocompatible and highly photostable fluorescent carbon dots (C dots) were obtained through a simple and nontoxic one-pot hydrothermal method. Polyvinylpyrrolidone, a common and low-cost biocompatibility reagent, was used as the only carbon source for the first time. The resulting water-soluble C dots showed a quantum yield of up to 23.58% with low cytotoxicity, favorable photoluminescent properties, and good photostability. Importantly, the fluorescence intensities of the C dots were quite stable in high-salt conditions and over a broad pH range (3.0-10.5). The as-prepared C dots have been demonstrated to be an excellent probe for hydroxyl radicals sensing based on the fluorescence quenching with great sensitivity and specificity. This opens up a new application field for C dots.
authors: Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 10-62554670.
authors: Xiangling
authors: X
authors: Ren
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Xianwei
authors: X
authors: Meng
authors: Jianfei
authors: J
authors: Wei
authors: Tianlong
authors: T
authors: Liu
authors: Fangqiong
authors: F
authors: Tang
keywords: carbon; fluorescent probes; hydrothermal synthesis; nanostructures; radicals