A novel one-pot route for the synthesis of water-soluble cadmium selenide nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 310; no. 13; pp. 3230 - 3234
• Main Authors: Oluwafemi, S.O., Revaprasadu, N., Ramirez, A.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.06.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Biomaterials; A1. Nanomaterials; A1. Surface structure; Applied sciences; B1. Cadmium compounds; B2. Semiconducting II–VI materials; B3. Light emitting diodes; Chemical synthesis methods; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Optoelectronic devices; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; B1. Cadmium compounds; 71.55.Gs; A1. Nanomaterials; B3. Light emitting diodes; 73.63.Kv; 68.37.Og; B2. Semiconducting II–VI materials; A1. Surface structure; A1. Biomaterials; 63.37.Lp; 87.35.J; 61.82.Rx; Quantum confinement; Cysteine; Fourier transform spectroscopy; Amino acids; Esters; Cadmium compounds; Surface structure; Nanoparticles; Biomedical materials; Hydrochlorides; Biocompatibility; 71.55.Gs 87.35.J 73.63.Kv 68.37.0g 63.37.Lp 61.82.Rx Al. Biomaterials Al. Nanomaterials Al. Surface structure B1. Cadmium compounds B2. Semiconducting II-VI materials B3. Light emitting diodes; Absorption spectra; Selenium; Electron transmission; Biological markers; Nanomaterial synthesis; Cadmium; Light emitting diodes; Optoelectronic devices; Dispersive spectrometry; Cadmium selenides; Fluorescent material; II-VI semiconductors; Sodium; Monodispersed particle; Nanostructured materials; Carboxylates
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2008.03.032

A novel, facile one-pot synthetic route to highly water dispersible and potentially biocompatible CdSe nanoparticles is reported. The monodispersed CdSe particles are passivated by cysteine, with water being the solvent. This route involves the reaction of selenium powder with sodium borohydride to produce selenide ions, followed by the addition of a cadmium salt and l-cysteine ethyl ester hydrochloride. The nanoparticles formed show quantum confinement fluorescing in the blue region. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study shows that CdSe nanoparticles are capped through mercapto group of the amino acid cysteine whilst its free amino and carboxylate groups make it amenable to bioconjugation establishing the possibility of using these as fluorescent biomarkers. High-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy images of these materials show well-defined, crystalline nanosized particles. Energy dispersive spectroscopy spectra confirm the presence of the corresponding elements.