title: Preparation of Gold-Carbon Dots and Ratiometric Fluorescence Cellular Imaging.
abstract: In this study, we synthesized novel gold-carbon dots (GCDs) with unique properties by microwave-assisted method. The characterization of high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), XRD, high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscope (HAADF-STEM), and energy dispersive spectrometer demonstrates that GCDs are composed of carbon and Au. Tiny Au clusters are dispersed in a 2 nm-size carbon skeleton, which integrates the properties of typical CDs and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), displaying fascinating peroxidase-like activity and single excitation/dual emission. Dual emission of the GCDs exhibits different fluorescent response to the target species and enables the GCDs to be exploited for sensing and bioimaging. The highly photostable and biocompatible GCDs were applied to dual fluorescent imaging for breast cancer cells and normal rat osteoblast cells under a single excitation. Moreover, ratiometric fluorescence imaging was used to monitor Fe(3+) level in normal rat osteoblast cells.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Lingyang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Haowen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Lanfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology , Xiangtan 411201, China.
authors.forename: Keqin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Xuanyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D006046:Gold
keywords: Au nanoclusters; carbon dots; dual fluorescent imaging; gold−carbon dots; sensor