title: Mercaptopropionic acid-capped Mn(2+):ZnSe/ZnO quantum dots with both downconversion and upconversion emissions for bioimaging applications.
abstract: Doped quantum dots (d-dots) can serve as fluorescent biosensors and biolabels for biological applications. Our study describes a synthesis of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped Mn(2+):ZnSe/ZnO d-dots through a facile, cost-efficient hydrothermal route. The as-prepared water-soluble d-dots exhibit strong emission at ca. 580 nm, with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) as high as 31%, which is the highest value reported to date for such particles prepared via an aqueous route. They also exhibit upconversion emission when excited at 800 nm. With an overall diameter of around 6.7 nm, the d-dots could gain access to the cell nucleus without any surface decoration, demonstrating their promising broad applications as fluorescent labels.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China. wwli@sjtu.edu.cn ksun@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bingxia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yulian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wanwan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015097:3-Mercaptopropionic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D014867:Water; D008345:Manganese; D015097:3-Mercaptopropionic Acid; C044696:zinc selenide; D015034:Zinc Oxide