title: Ag2Te quantum dots with compact surface coatings of multivalent polymers: ambient one-pot aqueous synthesis and the second near-infrared bioimaging.
abstract: In this study, we described a facile ambient one-pot aqueous synthesis of fluorescent Ag2Te quantum dots (QDs) adopting multivalent polymers (poly(maleic anhydride) homopolymers) as stabilizers. In experiments, Ag2Te QDs were synthesized via a stepwise addition of the stabilizers, precursors (AgNO3/Na2TeO3) and promoters (NaBH4/N2H4 · H2O) in ambient one-pot aqueous solution. By regulating the compositions of raw materials, water-dispersed Ag2Te QDs (3.8-4.7 nm) were achieved and exhibited tunable photoluminescence (PL) emission (995-1068 nm) in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region, accompanying with the minimized surface coating thickness (1.5-1.9 nm). Such compact coating of multivalent polymers promoted PL emission of Ag2Te QDs, so showing high PL quantum yields (PLQYs: 13.1-15.2%). In addition to compact sizes and high PLQYs, experimental results testified that the Ag2Te QDs demonstrated high photo-/colloidal stability and ultralow cytotoxicity, which implied their promising applications, especially serving as an effective nanoprobe for bioimaging in the NIR-II biological window.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China; Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China. Electronic address: guirijun@qdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Rijun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China; Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China. Electronic address: wangzonghua@qdu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Feifei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianfei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Sai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fiber, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textiles, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, College of Chemical Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D007259:Infrared Rays; D049449:Luminescence; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D012834:Silver; D013691:Tellurium
keywords: Ambient synthesis; Cell imaging; Multivalent polymers; Near-infrared emission; Quantum dots