title: Aqueous synthesis of highly luminescent glutathione-capped Mn²⁺-doped ZnS quantum dots.
abstract: In this paper, an aqueous-based route has been developed to prepare highly luminescent glutathione (GSH)-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The dots obtained have an average diameter of 4.3 nm and exhibit the Mn(2+)-related orange luminescence with very low surface defect density. The highest photoluminescence was observed for a Mn(2+) to Zn(2+) molar ratio of 3%. Consecutive overcoating of the Mn:ZnS@GSH QDs by a ZnS shell was done, and the core/shell structured QDs exhibit a PL quantum yield of 23%. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, electron spin resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and spectrofluorometry have been used to characterize the crystal structure, the doping status, and the optical properties of the doped-QDs. Our systematic investigation shows that Mn:ZnS/ZnS@GSH QDs are highly promising fluorescent labels in biological applications.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), UMR 7274, CNRS, 1 rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Oleksii
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kolmykov
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l'Environnement (LCPME), UMR 7564, CNRS, Faculté de Pharmacie, 5 rue Albert Lebrun, 54000 Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coulon
authors.affiliation: Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), UMR 7361, CNRS, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68093 Mulhouse, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lalevée
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), UMR 7198, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Halima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alem
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Institut Jean Lamour (IJL), UMR 7198, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Ghouti
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Medjahdi
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), UMR 7274, CNRS, 1 rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex, France. Electronic address: raphael.schneider@univ-lorraine.fr.
authors.forename: Raphaël
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry*; D049449:Luminescence; D008345:Manganese / Q000737:chemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D014867:Water; D008345:Manganese; D005978:Glutathione; C031238:zinc sulfide
keywords: Fluorescence; Glutathione; Mn-doped ZnS; Quantum dots