title: Study on the Ultrahigh Quantum Yield of Fluorescent P,O-g-C3 N4 Nanodots and its Application in Cell Imaging.
abstract: Graphitic carbon nitride nanodots (g-C3 N4 nanodots), as a new kind of heavy-metal-free quantum dots, have attracted considerable attention because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Although various methods to obtain g-C3 N4 nanodots have been reported, it is still a challenge to synthesize g-C3 N4 nanodots with ultrahigh fluorescence quantum yield (QY). In this study, highly fluorescent phosphorus/oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (P,O-g-C3 N4 ) nanodots were prepared by chemical oxidation and hydrothermal etching of bulk P-g-C3 N4 derived from the pyrolysis of phytic acid and melamine. The as-prepared P,O-g-C3 N4 nanodots showed strong blue fluorescence and a relatively high QY of up to 90.2 %, which can be ascribed to intrinsic phosphorus/oxygen-containing groups, and surface-oxidation-related fluorescence enhancement. In addition, the P,O-g-C3 N4 nanodots were explored for cell imaging with excellent stability and biocompatibility, which suggest that they have great potential in biological applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mingcong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhixiong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Chunshui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xinhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Fujian Research Institute of Metric Science, Fuzhou, 350003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yiru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China. xichen@xmu.edu.cn.|State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China. xichen@xmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011789:Quantum Theory; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014227:Triazines / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009570:Nitriles; D014227:Triazines; C011206:cyanogen; D006108:Graphite; D010833:Phytic Acid; C011907:melamine
keywords: doping; fluorescence; hydrothermal synthesis; imaging agents; nanoparticles