A new strategy for synthesizing AgInS2 quantum dots emitting brightly in near-infrared window for in vivo imaging

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces Vol. 125; pp. 222 - 229
• Main Authors: Tan, Lianjiang, Liu, Shuiping, Li, Xiaoqiang, Chronakis, Ioannis S., Shen, Yumei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Acrylates - chemical synthesis; AgInS2 quantum dots; Animals; Biomedical materials; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cysteamine - analogs & derivatives; Cysteamine - chemistry; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; HeLa Cells; Humans; Hydrazines - chemistry; Imaging; In vivo imaging; In vivo testing; In vivo tests; Indium - chemistry; Injections, Intravenous; Injections, Subcutaneous; Luminescence; Mice; Mice, Nude; Molecular Probes - chemical synthesis; Molecular Probes - metabolism; Multidentate polymer; Near-infrared; Photoluminescence; Polymerization; Quantum dots; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Quantum Dots - metabolism; Silver Nitrate - chemistry; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Strategy; Sulfur - chemistry; Surgical implants; Multidentate polymer; AgInS2 quantum dots; Near-infrared; In vivo imaging; AgInS quantum dots
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2014.11.041

•Water-dispersible AgInS2 QDs with bright near-infrared emission were synthesized.•Multidentate polymer was utilized as a compact capping ligand for the AgInS2 QDs.•The AgInS2 QDs possess good photostability and can be well used for in vivo imaging. A new strategy for fabricating water-dispersible AgInS2 quantum dots (QDs) with bright near-infrared (NIR) emission is demonstrated. A type of multidentate polymer (MDP) was synthesized and utilized as a compact capping ligand for the AgInS2 QDs. Using silver nitrate, indium acetate and sulfur–hydrazine hydrate complex as the precursors, MDP-capping AgInS2 QDs were synthesized in aqueous solution at room temperature. Characterization indicates that the MDP-capping AgInS2 QDs are highly photoluminescent in NIR window and possess good photostability. Also, the QDs are stable in different media and have low cytotoxicity. Nude mice photoluminescence imaging shows that the MDP-capping AgInS2 QDs can be well applied to in vivo imaging. These readily prepared NIR fluorescent nanocrystals have huge potential for biomedical applications.