An aqueous route to multicolor photoluminescent carbon dots using silica spheres as carriers

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2009;48(25):4598-601. doi: 10.1002/anie.200900652.

Abstract

Carbon lights up: A facile chemical method yields multicolor photoluminescent carbon dots derived from polymer/silica nanocomposites, which were prepared using surfactant-modified silica spheres as carriers and resols (phenol/formaldehyde resins) as carbon precursor (see picture). The surface-passivated carbon dots show good biocompatibility as potential bioimaging agents offering nanometer-scale resolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Luminescent Agents / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Luminescent Agents
  • Water
  • Silicon Dioxide