Carbon dots obtained using hydrothermal treatment of formaldehyde. Cell imaging in vitro

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Algarra, M (Author) Other; Perez Martin, M (Author) Other; Cifuentes Rueda, M (Author) Other; Jimenez Jimenez, J (Author) Other; Esteves da Silva, JCGE (Author) FCUP; Bandosz, TJ (Author) Other; Rodriguez Castellon, E (Author) Other; Lopez Navarrete, JTL (Author) Other; Casado, J (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Nanoscale

Vol. 6

Pages: 9071-9077

ISSN: 2040-3364

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 78 Citations

Scopus - 86 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Materials engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-PAA

DOI: 10.1039/c4nr01585a

Abstract (EN): Highly phototuminescent carbon dots have been prepared in a one step procedure by hydrothermal treatment of formaldehyde at 180 degrees C. They show green fluorescence under UV light exposure and emission spectra are centered at 440 nm. Fluorescence lifetimes comprise between 0.7 and 2.70 ns, when the synthesis process lasted for 1-7 days. TEM images of nanoparticles showed a homogeneous size/shape distribution. When the thermal treatment process was carried out for a long time (30 days) formation of aggregates occurred. Carbon dots were further analyzed using H-1 and C-13-NMR, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy techniques and XPS. Cell imaging of nanopartictes was carried out by using mouse MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts as a model. The nanoparticles were selectively localized in the cytoplasm without further functionalization and could be realized by cellular phagocytosis, so that the fluorescence of these can be used for live cell imaging in vitro.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7