TY - JOUR
T1 - High Performance Photoluminescent Carbon Dots for in Vitro and in Vivo Bioimaging
T2 - Effect of Nitrogen Doping Ratios
AU - Wang, Junqing
AU - Zhang, Pengfei
AU - Huang, Chao
AU - Liu, Gang
AU - Leung, Ken Cham Fai
AU - Wáng, Yì Xiáng J.
N1 - Funding information:
This work was partially supported by a General Research Fund (201412 and 201213) from The Hong Kong Research Grants Council, the Shenzhen Municipal Government Project No. JCYJ20130401164750006, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong Direct Grant for Research (4054087). The authors thank Mr. Zhicheng Zhong at the Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, China, for his kind helps for parts of the experiment.
Publisher copyright:
© 2015 American Chemical Society
PY - 2015/7/28
Y1 - 2015/7/28
N2 - Photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) have received ever-increasing attention in the application of optical bioimaging because of their low toxicity, tunable fluorescent properties, and ultracompact size. We report for the first time on enhanced photoluminescence (PL) performance influenced by structure effects among the various types of nitrogen doped (N-doped) PL CDs. These CDs were facilely synthesized from condensation carbonization of linear polyethylenic amine (PEA) analogues and citric acid (CA) of different ratios. Detailed structural and property studies demonstrated that either the structures or the molar ratio of PEAs altered the PL properties of the CDs. The content of conjugated π-domains with C-N in the carbon backbone was correlated with their PL Quantum Yield (QY) (up to 69%). The hybridization between the surface/molecule state and the carbon backbone synergistically affected the chemical/physical properties. Also, long-chain polyethylenic amine (PEA) molecule-doped CDs exhibit increasing photostability, but at the expense of PL efficiency, proving that the PL emission of high QY CDs arise not only from the sp2/sp3 carbon core and surface passivation of CDs, but also from the molecular fluorophores integrated in the CDs. In vitro and in vivo bioimaging of these N-doped CDs showed strong photoluminescence signals. Good biocompatibility demonstrates their potential feasibility for bioimaging applications. In addition, the overall size profile of the as-prepared CDs is comparable to the average size of capillary pores in normal living tissues (-5 nm). Our study provides valuable insights into the effects of the PEA doping ratios on photoluminescence efficiency, biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and optical bioimaging of CDs.
AB - Photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) have received ever-increasing attention in the application of optical bioimaging because of their low toxicity, tunable fluorescent properties, and ultracompact size. We report for the first time on enhanced photoluminescence (PL) performance influenced by structure effects among the various types of nitrogen doped (N-doped) PL CDs. These CDs were facilely synthesized from condensation carbonization of linear polyethylenic amine (PEA) analogues and citric acid (CA) of different ratios. Detailed structural and property studies demonstrated that either the structures or the molar ratio of PEAs altered the PL properties of the CDs. The content of conjugated π-domains with C-N in the carbon backbone was correlated with their PL Quantum Yield (QY) (up to 69%). The hybridization between the surface/molecule state and the carbon backbone synergistically affected the chemical/physical properties. Also, long-chain polyethylenic amine (PEA) molecule-doped CDs exhibit increasing photostability, but at the expense of PL efficiency, proving that the PL emission of high QY CDs arise not only from the sp2/sp3 carbon core and surface passivation of CDs, but also from the molecular fluorophores integrated in the CDs. In vitro and in vivo bioimaging of these N-doped CDs showed strong photoluminescence signals. Good biocompatibility demonstrates their potential feasibility for bioimaging applications. In addition, the overall size profile of the as-prepared CDs is comparable to the average size of capillary pores in normal living tissues (-5 nm). Our study provides valuable insights into the effects of the PEA doping ratios on photoluminescence efficiency, biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and optical bioimaging of CDs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937862485&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01875
DO - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01875
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 26135003
AN - SCOPUS:84937862485
SN - 0743-7463
VL - 31
SP - 8063
EP - 8073
JO - Langmuir
JF - Langmuir
IS - 29
ER -