Synthesis, characterization and cells and tissues imaging of carbon quantum dots

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 72; pp. 15 - 19
• Main Authors: Wang, Jing, Li, Qilong, Zhou, JingE, Wang, Yiting, Yu, Lei, Peng, Hui, Zhu, Jianzhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Bio-imaging; Carbon quantum dots; Citric acid monohydrate; Diethylene Glycol Bis (3-aminopropyl) Ether; Carbon quantum dots; Diethylene Glycol Bis (3-aminopropyl) Ether; Citric acid monohydrate; Bio-imaging
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2017.05.047

Compare to other quantum dots, carbon quantum dots have its own incomparable advantages, such as low cell toxicity, favorable biocompatibility, cheap production cost, mild reaction conditions, easy to large-scale synthesis and functionalization. In this thesis, we took citric acid monohydrate and diethylene glycol bis (3-aMinopropyl) ether as materials, used decomposition method to acquire carbon quantum dots (CQDs) which can emission blue fluorescence under ultraviolet excitation. In the aspect of application, we achieved the biological imaging of CQDs in vivo and in vitro. TEM image (HRTEM inset) of the CQDs prepared. [Display omitted] •A novel carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has been successfully fabricated by hydrothermal method.•The CQDs proposed exhibits a uniform spherical shape and a narrow size distribution of 8.0 ± 3.0 nm in diameter.•A strong PL emission spectrum centered at 440 nm was observed when it was excited at 300 nm and the quantum yield is 11%.•The CQDs exhibits very low toxicity to NCI-H460 cells in vitro when the concentration is lower than 340.0 mM.•The CQDs have be applied to NCI-H460 cells imaging and tissue section imaging for kidney and liver.