ac6b03209_si_001.pdf (1.14 MB)
One-Pot Microwave Synthesis of Water-Dispersible, High Fluorescence Silicon Nanoparticles and Their Imaging Applications in Vitro and in Vivo
journal contribution
posted on 2016-10-31, 00:00 authored by Hong-Li Ye, Shi-Jiao Cai, Si Li, Xi-Wen He, Wen-You Li, Yu-Hao Li, Yu-Kui ZhangSilicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) have
been reported to be synthesized
by microwave-assisted methods under high pressure. However, there
is still a lack of knowledge about the synthesis of SiNPs via microwave-assisted
methods under normal pressure. Here we developed a new, facile, one-pot
microwave-assisted method for the synthesis SiNPs (∼4.2 nm)
with excellent water solubility under normal pressure by employing
glycerol as the solvent. Furthermore, glycerol might be responsible
for the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) value up to 47% for
the resultant SiNPs. The use of organic solvent could afford less
nanoparticle surface defects compared with those prepared in aqueous
solution, thus improving the fluorescent efficiency. The as-prepared
SiNPs simultaneously featured bright blue-green fluorescence, long
lifetime (∼12.8 ns), obvious up-conversion luminescence originating
from two-photon absorption, superbly strong photostability, and favorable
low toxicity. As a satisfactory probe, the as-synthesized SiNPs were
successfully applied in fluorescence imaging of human cervical carcinoma
cell lines (HeLa) and zebrafish.