The breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women. To establish an early stage in situ imaging of breast cancer cells, green quantum dots （QDs） are used as a fluorescent signal generator. The QDs b...The breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women. To establish an early stage in situ imaging of breast cancer cells, green quantum dots （QDs） are used as a fluorescent signal generator. The QDs based imaging of breast cancer cells involves anti-HER2/neu antibody for labeling the over expressed HER2 on the surface of breast cancer cells. The complete assay involves breast cancer cells, biotin labeled antibody and streptavidin conjugated QDs. The breast cancer cells are grown in culture plates and exposed to the biotin labeled antibodies, and then exposed to streptavidin labeled QDs to utilize the strong and stable biotin-streptavidin interaction. Fluorescent images of the complete assay for breast cancer cells are evaluated on a microscope with a UV light source. Results show that the breast cancer cells in the complete assay are used as fluorescent cells with brighter signals compared with those labeled by the organic dye using similar parameters and the same number of cells.展开更多
Carbon quantum dots(CQDs) exhibit tremendous advantages for plant growth study due to its strong fluorescence and good biocompatibility. The fluorescent CQDs were synthesized by the onestep microwave method with the r...Carbon quantum dots(CQDs) exhibit tremendous advantages for plant growth study due to its strong fluorescence and good biocompatibility. The fluorescent CQDs were synthesized by the onestep microwave method with the raw materials of citric acid(CA) and urea(UR), and expressed a unique green fluorescence with the optimal excitation wavelength of over 400 nm through adjusting the doping of N elements. It is demonstrated that CQDs can act as deliver media in plant and fluorescent probes for plant cell imaging through directly cultivated in the seedlings of melon and wheat, respectively. Based on the effects of the fluorescent CQDs on plants growth, we can further study the mechanisms of the ions transport in plants.展开更多
The nanocomposites of poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs) (i.e. QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites) have been prepared based on electrostatic interaction and their fluorescence stabilit...The nanocomposites of poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs) (i.e. QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites) have been prepared based on electrostatic interaction and their fluorescence stability in aqueous solution has been investigated. MTT method (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method) was used to study their cytotoxicity and A549 lung cancer cell as a model cell was also used to evaluate their cellular imaging. It was shown that the fluorescence stability of QDsPDADMAC nanocomposites was much better than that of bare QDs both in aqueous solution and cell. Meanwhile, QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites display very low cytotoxicity in the low concentrations and better staining ability compared with QDs. QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites will have great advantage on the cell analysis detection and imaging.展开更多
This study is to report a ZnSe quantum dot with a large two-photon absorption cross section and good biocompatibility,which can be used in bioimaging.Fluorescence emission at 410 nm is observed in the quantum dot unde...This study is to report a ZnSe quantum dot with a large two-photon absorption cross section and good biocompatibility,which can be used in bioimaging.Fluorescence emission at 410 nm is observed in the quantum dot under 760-nm laser excitation.These biocompatible quantum dots exhibit a two-photon cross-section of 9.1×105 GM(1 GM=10-50 cm4·s/photon).Two-photon excited laser scanning microscopic images show that cells co-cultured with ZnSe quantum dots are found in the blue channel at a fluorescence intensity that is 14.5 times that of control cells not cocultured with quantum dots.After incubating zebrafish larvae with ZnSe quantum dots for 24 h,the fluorescence intensity of the yolk sac stimulated by ultraviolet light is 2.9 times that of the control group.The proposed material shows a great potential application in biological imaging.展开更多
Summary： This study aimed to establish a new in vitro three-dimensional （3D） cell culture and use quantum dots （QDs） molecular imaging to examine the invasive behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cells. ...Summary： This study aimed to establish a new in vitro three-dimensional （3D） cell culture and use quantum dots （QDs） molecular imaging to examine the invasive behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cells. Each well of the 24-well cell culture plate was cover-slipped. Matrigel diluted with se- rum-free DMEM was added and HCCLM9 cells were cultured on the Matrigel. The cell morphological and cell growth characteristics were observed by inverted microscopy and laser confocal microscopy at different culture time. Cell invasive features were monitored by QDs-based real-time molecular imaging techniques. The results showed that on this 3D cell culture platform, HCCLM9 cells exhibited typical multi-step invasive behaviors, including reversion of cell senescence, active focal proliferation and dominant clones invasion. During the process, cells under 3D cell culture showed biological behaviors of spatio-temporal characteristics. Cells first merged on the surface of matrix, then gradually infiltrated and migrated into deep part of matrix, presenting polygonal morphology with stretched protrusions, forming tubular, annular and even network structure, which suggested that HCC cells have the morpho- logical basis for vasculogenic mimicry. In addition, small cell clones with their edges well-circumscribed in early stage, progressed into a large irregular clone with ill-defined edge, while the other cells developed invadopodia. And QDs probing showed MT1-MMP was strongly expressed in the invadopodia. These findings indicate that a novel 3D cell culture platform has been successfully estab- lished, which can mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment, and when combined with QDs-based mo- lecular imaging, it can help to better investigate the invasive behaviors of HCC cells.展开更多
This paper explored the feasibility for the application of luminescent CdTe quantum dots prepared in aqueous phase to live cell imaging. The highly luminescent CdTe quantum dots （QDs） were first prepared in aqueous ...This paper explored the feasibility for the application of luminescent CdTe quantum dots prepared in aqueous phase to live cell imaging. The highly luminescent CdTe quantum dots （QDs） were first prepared in aqueous phase, and then were covalentiy coupled to a plant lectin （UEA-1）, as a fluorescent probe. After incubating with of human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs）, the QD probe with UEA-1 was able to specifically bind the corresponding cell receptor. The good cell images were obtained in live cells using laser confocal scanning microscopy. We predict that QDs prepared in water phase will probably become an attractive alternative probe in cellular imaging and bio-labeling.展开更多
Cerenkov luminescence imaging(CLI) has been widely investigated for biological imaging. However, the luminescence generated from Cerenkov effect is relatively weak and has poor penetration ability in biological tissue...Cerenkov luminescence imaging(CLI) has been widely investigated for biological imaging. However, the luminescence generated from Cerenkov effect is relatively weak and has poor penetration ability in biological tissues.These limitations consequently hindered the clinical translation of CLI. In this study, we proposed an in vitro experimental study for the demonstration of quantum dots(QDs) configurations affected by the improvement of the signal intensity of CLI. Results revealed that the optimal concentrations were 0.1 mg/mL and 0.25 mg/mL for the studied CdSe/ZnS QDs with fluorescence emission peaks of 580 nm and 660 nm, respectively. The detected optical signal intensity with long-wavelength emission QDs were stronger than those with short-wavelength emission QDs.This study illustrates an experiment to study the effects of concentrations and fluorescence emission peaks of QDs on an enhanced optical signal for the external detection of CLI.展开更多
A simple chemical-etching approach is used to prepare the silicon carbide quantum dots (QDs). The raw materials of silicon carbide (SiC) with homogeneous nanoparticles fabricated via self-propagating combustion synthe...A simple chemical-etching approach is used to prepare the silicon carbide quantum dots (QDs). The raw materials of silicon carbide (SiC) with homogeneous nanoparticles fabricated via self-propagating combustion synthesis are corroded in mixture etchants of nitric and hydrofluoric acid. After sonication and chromatography in the ultra-gravity field for the etched products, aqueous solution with QDs can be obtained. The microstructure evolution of raw particles and optical properties of QDs were measured. Different organophilic groups on the surface like carboxyl, oxygroup, and hyfroxy were produced in the process of etching. Fluorescent labeling and imaging for living cells of Aureobasidium pulluans were investigated. The results indicated that SiC QDs were not cytotoxic and could stably label due to the conjugation between organophilic groups of QDs and specific protein of cells, it can be utilized for fluorescent imaging and tracking cells with in vivo and long-term-distance. Moreover, mechanism and specificity of mark were also analyzed.展开更多
Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots( N-GQDs)exhibiting excitation-independent green fluorescence emission( 536 nm) was facilely synthesized. The as-prepared N-GQDs showed a highly selective fluorescence quenching res...Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots( N-GQDs)exhibiting excitation-independent green fluorescence emission( 536 nm) was facilely synthesized. The as-prepared N-GQDs showed a highly selective fluorescence quenching response toward Hg2 + with a linear range of 0. 1-30. 0 μmol/L and detection limit of50 nmol/L. Based on the high affinity of biothiols( such as cysteine)toward Hg2 +, the quenched fluorescence of N-GQDs could be recovered upon addition of biothiols,and thereby a new fluorescence turn-on probe for cysteine detection was further developed. The linear range and detection limit for cysteine were found to be 0. 1-12. 5 μmol/L and 46 nmol/L,respectively. The present fluorescent probe worked well in a physiological pure water medium,allowing a fluorescence imaging of cysteine in living cells.展开更多
The labelling and imaging of tumor cells were investigated via arginine-glycine-aspartic acidcysteine（RGDC） peptide-labelled quantum dots（QDs）. The results show that RGDC modified QDs can label SMMC-7721 tumor cel...The labelling and imaging of tumor cells were investigated via arginine-glycine-aspartic acidcysteine（RGDC） peptide-labelled quantum dots（QDs）. The results show that RGDC modified QDs can label SMMC-7721 tumor cells and adhere to cellular membrane. In constrast, the unmodified QDs are mainly dispersed around the cell. We also found that the RGDC-QDs can penetrate into the cell at 2 h of incubation. After 6 h of incubation, RGDC-QDs can accumulate in a unique intracellular region.展开更多
Electron spins confined in semiconductor quantum dots(QDs)are one of potential candidates for physical implementation of scalable quantum information processing technologies.Tunnel coupling based inter exchange intera...Electron spins confined in semiconductor quantum dots(QDs)are one of potential candidates for physical implementation of scalable quantum information processing technologies.Tunnel coupling based inter exchange interaction between QDs is crucial in achieving single-qubit manipulation,two-qubit gate,quantum communication and quantum simulation.This review first provides a theoretical perspective that surveys a general framework,including the Helter−London approach,the Hund−Mulliken approach,and the Hubbard model,to describe the inter exchange interactions between semiconductor quantum dots.An electrical method to control the inter exchange interaction in a realistic device is proposed as well.Then the significant achievements of inter exchange interaction in manipulating single qubits,achieving two-qubit gates,performing quantum communication and quantum simulation are reviewed.The last part is a summary of this review.展开更多
This research investigates the hydrothermal synthesis and annealing duration effects on nickel sulfide(NiS_(2) quantum dots(QDs)for catalytic decolorization of methylene blue(MB)dye and antimicrobial efficacy.QD size ...This research investigates the hydrothermal synthesis and annealing duration effects on nickel sulfide(NiS_(2) quantum dots(QDs)for catalytic decolorization of methylene blue(MB)dye and antimicrobial efficacy.QD size increased with longer annealing,reducing catalytic activity.UV–vis,XRD,TEM,and FTIR analyses probed optical structural,morphological,and vibrational features.XRD confirmed NiS2's anorthic structure,with crystallite size growing from 6.53 to 7.81 nm during extended annealing.UV–Vis exhibited a bathochromic shift,reflecting reduced band gap energy(Eg)in NiS_(2).TEM revealed NiS_(2)QD formation,with agglomerated QD average size increasing from 7.13 to 9.65 nm with prolonged annealing.Pure NiS_(2) showed significant MB decolorization(89.85%)in acidic conditions.Annealed NiS_(2) QDs demonstrated notable antibacterial activity,yielding a 6.15mm inhibition zone against Escherichia coli(E.coli)compared to Ciprofloxacin.First-principles computation supported a robust interaction between MB and NiS_(2),evidenced by obtained adsorption energies.This study highlights the nuanced relationship between annealing duration,structural changes,and functional properties in NiS_(2)QDs,emphasizing their potential applications in catalysis and antibacterial interventions.展开更多
Lead sulfide quantum dots(PbS QDs) hold unique characteristics, including bandgap tunability, solutionprocessability etc., which make them highly applicable in tandem solar cells(TSCs). In all QD TSCs, its efficiency ...Lead sulfide quantum dots(PbS QDs) hold unique characteristics, including bandgap tunability, solutionprocessability etc., which make them highly applicable in tandem solar cells(TSCs). In all QD TSCs, its efficiency lags much behind to their single junction counterparts due to the deficient interconnection layer(ICL) and defective subcells. To improve TSCs performance, we developed three kinds of ICL structures based on 1.34 and 0.96 e V PbS QDs subcells. The control, 1,2-ethanedithiol capped PbS QDs(PbS-EDT)/Au/tin dioxide(SnO_(2))/zinc oxide(Zn O), utilized SnO_(2) layer to obtain high surface compactness.However, its energy level mismatch causes incomplete recombination. Bypassing it, the second ICL(PbS-EDT/Au/Zn O) removed SnO_(2) and boosted the power conversion efficiency(PCE) from 5.75% to 8.69%. In the third ICL(PbS-EDT/poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine](PTAA)/Au/Zn O), a thin layer of PTAA can effectively fill fissures on the surface of PbS-EDT and also protect the front cells from solvent penetration. This TSC obtained a PCE of 9.49% with an open circuit voltage of 0.91 V, a short circuit current density of 15.47 m A/cm~2, and a fill factor of 67.7%. To the best of our knowledge, this was the highest PCE achieved by all PbS QD TSCs reported to date. These TSCs maintained stable performance for a long working time under ambient conditions.展开更多
Over the past few decades,photocatalysis technology has received extensive attention because of its potential to mitigate or solve energy and environmental pollution problems.Designing novel materials with outstanding...Over the past few decades,photocatalysis technology has received extensive attention because of its potential to mitigate or solve energy and environmental pollution problems.Designing novel materials with outstanding photocatalytic activities has become a research hotspot in this field.In this study,we prepared a series of photocatalysts in which BiOCl nanosheets were modified with carbon quantum dots(CQDs)to form CQDs/BiOCl composites by using a simple solvothermal method.The photocatalytic performance of the resulting CQDs/BiOCl composite photocatalysts was assessed by rhodamine B and tetracycline degradation under visible-light irradiation.Compared with bare BiOCl,the photocatalytic activity of the CQDs/BiOCl composites was significantly enhanced,and the 5 wt%CQDs/BiOCl composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with a degradation efficiency of 94.5%after 30 min of irradiation.Moreover,photocatalytic N_(2)reduction performance was significantly improved after introducing CQDs.The 5 wt%CQDs/BiOCl composite displayed the highest photocatalytic N_(2)reduction performance to yield NH_3(346.25μmol/(g h)),which is significantly higher than those of 3 wt%CQDs/BiOCl(256.04μmol/(g h)),7 wt%CQDs/BiOCl(254.07μmol/(g h)),and bare BiOCl(240.19μmol/(g h)).Our systematic characterizations revealed that the key role of CQDs in improving photocatalytic performance is due to their increased light harvesting capacity,remarkable electron transfer ability,and higher photocatalytic activity sites.展开更多
The systematic advances in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have been driven by the developments of perovskite materials,electron transport layer(ETL)materials,and inter...The systematic advances in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have been driven by the developments of perovskite materials,electron transport layer(ETL)materials,and interfacial passivation between the relevant layers.While zinc oxide(ZnO)is a promising ETL in thin film photovoltaics,it is still highly desirable to develop novel synthetic methods that allow both fine-tuning the versatility of ZnO nanomaterials and improving the ZnO/perovskite interface.Among various inorganic and organic additives,zwitterions have been effectively utilized to passivate the perovskite films.In this vein,we develop novel,well-characterized betaine-coated ZnO QDs and use them as an ETL in the planar n-i-p PSC architecture,combining the ZnO QDs-based ETL with the ZnO/perovskite interface passivation by a series of ammonium halides(NH_(4)X,where X=F,Cl,Br).The champion device with the NH4F passivation achieves one of the highest performances reported for ZnO-based PSCs,exhibiting a maximum PCE of~22%with a high fill factor of 80.3%and competitive stability,retaining~78%of its initial PCE under 1 Sun illumination with maximum power tracking for 250 h.展开更多
Ag-In-Ga-S(AIGS)quantum dots(QDs)have recently attracted great interests due to the outstanding optical properties and eco-friendly components,which are considered as an alternative replacement for toxic Pb-and Cd-bas...Ag-In-Ga-S(AIGS)quantum dots(QDs)have recently attracted great interests due to the outstanding optical properties and eco-friendly components,which are considered as an alternative replacement for toxic Pb-and Cd-based QDs.However,enormous attention has been paid to how to narrow their broadband spectra,ignoring the application advantages of the broadband emission.In this work,the AIGS QDs with controllable broad green-red dual-emission are first reported,which is achieved through adjusting the size distribution of QDs by controlling the nucleation and growth of AIGS crystals.Resultantly,the AIGS QDs exhibit broad dual-emission at green-and red-band evidenced by photoluminescence(PL)spectra,and the PL relative intensity and peak position can be finely adjusted.Furthermore,the dual-emission is the intrinsic characteristics from the difference in confinement effect of large particles and tiny particles confirmed by temperature-dependent PL spectra.Accordingly,the AIGS QDs(the size consists of 17 nm and 3.7 nm)with 530 nm and 630 nm emission could successfully be synthesized at 220°C.By combining the blue light-emitting diode(LED)chips and dual-emission AIGS QDs,the constructed white light-emitting devices(WLEDs)exhibit a continuous and broad spectrum like natural sunlight with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage(CIE)chromaticity coordinates of(0.33,0.31),a correlated color temperature(CCT)of 5425 K,color rendering index(CRI)of 90,and luminous efficacy of radiation(LER)of 129 lm/W,which indicates that the AIGS QDs have huge potential for lighting applications.展开更多
Because of the low reactivity of cyclic nitrides,liquid-phase synthesis of carbon nitride introduces challenges despite its favorable potential for energy-efficient preparation and superior applications.In this study,...Because of the low reactivity of cyclic nitrides,liquid-phase synthesis of carbon nitride introduces challenges despite its favorable potential for energy-efficient preparation and superior applications.In this study,we demonstrate a strong interaction between citric acid and melamine through experimental observation and theoretical simulation,which eff ectively activates melamine-condensation activity and produces carbon-rich carbon nitride nanosheets(CCN NSs)during hydrothermal reaction.Under a large specific surface area and increased light absorption,these CCN NSs demonstrate significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity in CO_(2) reduction,increasing the CO production rate by approximately tenfold compared with hexagonal melamine(h-Me).Moreover,the product selectivity of CCN NSs reaches up to 93.5%to generate CO from CO_(2).Furthermore,the annealed CCN NSs exhibit a CO conversion rate of up to 95.30μmol/(g h),which indicates an 18-fold increase compared with traditional carbon nitride.During the CCN NS synthesis,nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots(NDC QDs)are simultaneously produced and remain suspended in the supernatant after centrifugation.These QDs disperse well in water and exhibit excellent luminescent properties(QY=67.2%),allowing their application in the design of selective and sensitive sensors to detect pollutants such as pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenol with a detection limit of as low as 0.04μmol/L.Notably,the simultaneous synthesis of CCN NSs and NDC QDs provides a cost-eff ective and highly efficient process,yielding products with superior capabilities for catalytic conversion of CO_(2) and pollutant detection,respectively.展开更多
Thermal management of nanoscale quantum dots(QDs)in light-emitting devices is a long-lasting challenge.The existing heat transfer reinforcement solutions for QDs-polymer composite mainly rely on thermal-conductive fil...Thermal management of nanoscale quantum dots(QDs)in light-emitting devices is a long-lasting challenge.The existing heat transfer reinforcement solutions for QDs-polymer composite mainly rely on thermal-conductive fillers.However,this strategy failed to deliver the QDs’heat generation across a long distance,and the accumulated heat still causes considerable temperature rise of QDs-polymer composite,which eventually menaces the performance and reliability of lightemitting devices.Inspired by the radially aligned fruit fibers in oranges,we proposed to eliminate this heat dissipation challenge by establishing long-range ordered heat transfer pathways within the QDs-polymer composite.Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers(UPEF)were radially aligned throughout the polymer matrix,thus facilitating massive efficient heat dissipation of the QDs.Under a UPEF filling fraction of 24.46 vol%,the in-plane thermal conductivity of QDs-radially aligned UPEF composite(QDs-RAPE)could reach 10.45 W m^(−1) K^(−1),which is the highest value of QDs-polymer composite reported so far.As a proof of concept,the QDs’working temperature can be reduced by 342.5℃ when illuminated by a highly concentrated laser diode(LD)under driving current of 1000 mA,thus improving their optical performance.This work may pave a new way for next generation high-power QDs lighting applications.展开更多
A composite was created by incorporating the quantum dot-enhanced SiO_(2)nanoparticles within this hydrogel.Based on this composite,a temperature-controlled fluorescent probe for DCP was developed.A meticulous examina...A composite was created by incorporating the quantum dot-enhanced SiO_(2)nanoparticles within this hydrogel.Based on this composite,a temperature-controlled fluorescent probe for DCP was developed.A meticulous examination of this probe revealed its attributes and factors affecting its performance.By using temperature modulation,the probe was adept at detecting DCP concentrations ranging between 1.0×10^(-6)and 9.0×10^(-6)mol/L.Such a probe offers remarkable selectivity,repeatability,and robust stability,so that the detection of DCP can be carried out at different temperatures,and a fast,reliable,sensitive and low-cost intelligent detection method is realized.展开更多
The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth seriously hinder the practical application of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.To simultaneously address such issues,monodispers...The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth seriously hinder the practical application of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.To simultaneously address such issues,monodispersed Nb N quantum dots anchored on nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanorods(NbN@NHCR)are elaborately developed as efficient Li PSs immobilizer and Li stabilizer for high-performance Li-S full batteries.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations and experimental characterizations demonstrate that the sulfiphilic and lithiophilic NbN@NHCR hybrid can not only efficiently immobilize the soluble Li PSs and facilitate diffusion-conversion kinetics for alleviating the shuttling effect,but also homogenize the distribution of Li+ions and regulate uniform Li deposition for suppressing Li-dendrite growth.As a result,the assembled Li-S full batteries(NbN@NHCR-S||Nb N@NHCR-Li)deliver excellent long-term cycling stability with a low decay rate of 0.031%per cycle over 1000 cycles at high rate of 2 C.Even at a high S loading of 5.8 mg cm^(-2)and a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5.2μL mg^(-1),a large areal capacity of 6.2 mA h cm^(-2)can be achieved in Li-S pouch cell at 0.1 C.This study provides a new perspective via designing a dual-functional sulfiphilic and lithiophilic hybrid to address serious issues of the shuttle effect of S cathode and dendrite growth of Li anode.展开更多
基金Supported by the Foundation for Cultivating the Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Jiangxi Province of China (YBP08A03)~~
文摘The breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women. To establish an early stage in situ imaging of breast cancer cells, green quantum dots （QDs） are used as a fluorescent signal generator. The QDs based imaging of breast cancer cells involves anti-HER2/neu antibody for labeling the over expressed HER2 on the surface of breast cancer cells. The complete assay involves breast cancer cells, biotin labeled antibody and streptavidin conjugated QDs. The breast cancer cells are grown in culture plates and exposed to the biotin labeled antibodies, and then exposed to streptavidin labeled QDs to utilize the strong and stable biotin-streptavidin interaction. Fluorescent images of the complete assay for breast cancer cells are evaluated on a microscope with a UV light source. Results show that the breast cancer cells in the complete assay are used as fluorescent cells with brighter signals compared with those labeled by the organic dye using similar parameters and the same number of cells.
基金Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61575150 and 61377092)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(WUT:2017II46GX)
文摘Carbon quantum dots(CQDs) exhibit tremendous advantages for plant growth study due to its strong fluorescence and good biocompatibility. The fluorescent CQDs were synthesized by the onestep microwave method with the raw materials of citric acid(CA) and urea(UR), and expressed a unique green fluorescence with the optimal excitation wavelength of over 400 nm through adjusting the doping of N elements. It is demonstrated that CQDs can act as deliver media in plant and fluorescent probes for plant cell imaging through directly cultivated in the seedlings of melon and wheat, respectively. Based on the effects of the fluorescent CQDs on plants growth, we can further study the mechanisms of the ions transport in plants.
基金supported by the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81001686)by the Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China
文摘The nanocomposites of poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs) (i.e. QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites) have been prepared based on electrostatic interaction and their fluorescence stability in aqueous solution has been investigated. MTT method (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method) was used to study their cytotoxicity and A549 lung cancer cell as a model cell was also used to evaluate their cellular imaging. It was shown that the fluorescence stability of QDsPDADMAC nanocomposites was much better than that of bare QDs both in aqueous solution and cell. Meanwhile, QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites display very low cytotoxicity in the low concentrations and better staining ability compared with QDs. QDs-PDADMAC nanocomposites will have great advantage on the cell analysis detection and imaging.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61774062 and U20A20206)the Science and Techology Program of Guangzhou City,China(Grant No.2019050001)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,China(Grant Nos.2018A030313854 and2016A030308010)。
文摘This study is to report a ZnSe quantum dot with a large two-photon absorption cross section and good biocompatibility,which can be used in bioimaging.Fluorescence emission at 410 nm is observed in the quantum dot under 760-nm laser excitation.These biocompatible quantum dots exhibit a two-photon cross-section of 9.1×105 GM(1 GM=10-50 cm4·s/photon).Two-photon excited laser scanning microscopic images show that cells co-cultured with ZnSe quantum dots are found in the blue channel at a fluorescence intensity that is 14.5 times that of control cells not cocultured with quantum dots.After incubating zebrafish larvae with ZnSe quantum dots for 24 h,the fluorescence intensity of the yolk sac stimulated by ultraviolet light is 2.9 times that of the control group.The proposed material shows a great potential application in biological imaging.
基金supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81171396)Creative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.20921062)+1 种基金National Science and Technology Major Project(No.2012ZX10002012-12)National University Students Innovation Training Project of China(No.111048673)
文摘Summary： This study aimed to establish a new in vitro three-dimensional （3D） cell culture and use quantum dots （QDs） molecular imaging to examine the invasive behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） cells. Each well of the 24-well cell culture plate was cover-slipped. Matrigel diluted with se- rum-free DMEM was added and HCCLM9 cells were cultured on the Matrigel. The cell morphological and cell growth characteristics were observed by inverted microscopy and laser confocal microscopy at different culture time. Cell invasive features were monitored by QDs-based real-time molecular imaging techniques. The results showed that on this 3D cell culture platform, HCCLM9 cells exhibited typical multi-step invasive behaviors, including reversion of cell senescence, active focal proliferation and dominant clones invasion. During the process, cells under 3D cell culture showed biological behaviors of spatio-temporal characteristics. Cells first merged on the surface of matrix, then gradually infiltrated and migrated into deep part of matrix, presenting polygonal morphology with stretched protrusions, forming tubular, annular and even network structure, which suggested that HCC cells have the morpho- logical basis for vasculogenic mimicry. In addition, small cell clones with their edges well-circumscribed in early stage, progressed into a large irregular clone with ill-defined edge, while the other cells developed invadopodia. And QDs probing showed MT1-MMP was strongly expressed in the invadopodia. These findings indicate that a novel 3D cell culture platform has been successfully estab- lished, which can mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment, and when combined with QDs-based mo- lecular imaging, it can help to better investigate the invasive behaviors of HCC cells.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 20335020, 90408014） and the Nano-Science Foundation of Shanghai （0452NM052, 05NM0500 -2）.
文摘This paper explored the feasibility for the application of luminescent CdTe quantum dots prepared in aqueous phase to live cell imaging. The highly luminescent CdTe quantum dots （QDs） were first prepared in aqueous phase, and then were covalentiy coupled to a plant lectin （UEA-1）, as a fluorescent probe. After incubating with of human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs）, the QD probe with UEA-1 was able to specifically bind the corresponding cell receptor. The good cell images were obtained in live cells using laser confocal scanning microscopy. We predict that QDs prepared in water phase will probably become an attractive alternative probe in cellular imaging and bio-labeling.
基金supported in part by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20180415)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.11805100)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.NS2018041)the National Key Research and Development Program(Nos.2016YFE0103600and 2017YFC0107700)
文摘Cerenkov luminescence imaging(CLI) has been widely investigated for biological imaging. However, the luminescence generated from Cerenkov effect is relatively weak and has poor penetration ability in biological tissues.These limitations consequently hindered the clinical translation of CLI. In this study, we proposed an in vitro experimental study for the demonstration of quantum dots(QDs) configurations affected by the improvement of the signal intensity of CLI. Results revealed that the optimal concentrations were 0.1 mg/mL and 0.25 mg/mL for the studied CdSe/ZnS QDs with fluorescence emission peaks of 580 nm and 660 nm, respectively. The detected optical signal intensity with long-wavelength emission QDs were stronger than those with short-wavelength emission QDs.This study illustrates an experiment to study the effects of concentrations and fluorescence emission peaks of QDs on an enhanced optical signal for the external detection of CLI.
文摘A simple chemical-etching approach is used to prepare the silicon carbide quantum dots (QDs). The raw materials of silicon carbide (SiC) with homogeneous nanoparticles fabricated via self-propagating combustion synthesis are corroded in mixture etchants of nitric and hydrofluoric acid. After sonication and chromatography in the ultra-gravity field for the etched products, aqueous solution with QDs can be obtained. The microstructure evolution of raw particles and optical properties of QDs were measured. Different organophilic groups on the surface like carboxyl, oxygroup, and hyfroxy were produced in the process of etching. Fluorescent labeling and imaging for living cells of Aureobasidium pulluans were investigated. The results indicated that SiC QDs were not cytotoxic and could stably label due to the conjugation between organophilic groups of QDs and specific protein of cells, it can be utilized for fluorescent imaging and tracking cells with in vivo and long-term-distance. Moreover, mechanism and specificity of mark were also analyzed.
基金Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation,China(No.16ZR1401700)Innovation Experiment Project for University Student of Donghua University,China(No.hsxy10201708)
文摘Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots( N-GQDs)exhibiting excitation-independent green fluorescence emission( 536 nm) was facilely synthesized. The as-prepared N-GQDs showed a highly selective fluorescence quenching response toward Hg2 + with a linear range of 0. 1-30. 0 μmol/L and detection limit of50 nmol/L. Based on the high affinity of biothiols( such as cysteine)toward Hg2 +, the quenched fluorescence of N-GQDs could be recovered upon addition of biothiols,and thereby a new fluorescence turn-on probe for cysteine detection was further developed. The linear range and detection limit for cysteine were found to be 0. 1-12. 5 μmol/L and 46 nmol/L,respectively. The present fluorescent probe worked well in a physiological pure water medium,allowing a fluorescence imaging of cysteine in living cells.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.30970719, 21043002)the Social Development Project of Science and Technology Department of Jilin Province, China(Nos.20106031, 20090133)+1 种基金the Project of Science and Technology Department of Changchun City, China(No.09SF02)the Fundamental Research Funds of Jilin University, China (No.200903098)
文摘The labelling and imaging of tumor cells were investigated via arginine-glycine-aspartic acidcysteine（RGDC） peptide-labelled quantum dots（QDs）. The results show that RGDC modified QDs can label SMMC-7721 tumor cells and adhere to cellular membrane. In constrast, the unmodified QDs are mainly dispersed around the cell. We also found that the RGDC-QDs can penetrate into the cell at 2 h of incubation. After 6 h of incubation, RGDC-QDs can accumulate in a unique intracellular region.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China,(Grant Nos.11974030 and 92165208)。
文摘Electron spins confined in semiconductor quantum dots(QDs)are one of potential candidates for physical implementation of scalable quantum information processing technologies.Tunnel coupling based inter exchange interaction between QDs is crucial in achieving single-qubit manipulation,two-qubit gate,quantum communication and quantum simulation.This review first provides a theoretical perspective that surveys a general framework,including the Helter−London approach,the Hund−Mulliken approach,and the Hubbard model,to describe the inter exchange interactions between semiconductor quantum dots.An electrical method to control the inter exchange interaction in a realistic device is proposed as well.Then the significant achievements of inter exchange interaction in manipulating single qubits,achieving two-qubit gates,performing quantum communication and quantum simulation are reviewed.The last part is a summary of this review.
基金The authors thank the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through a large group Research Project under grant number(R.G.P.2/123/44).The author MBK would like to thank Prince Sultan University for their support.
文摘This research investigates the hydrothermal synthesis and annealing duration effects on nickel sulfide(NiS_(2) quantum dots(QDs)for catalytic decolorization of methylene blue(MB)dye and antimicrobial efficacy.QD size increased with longer annealing,reducing catalytic activity.UV–vis,XRD,TEM,and FTIR analyses probed optical structural,morphological,and vibrational features.XRD confirmed NiS2's anorthic structure,with crystallite size growing from 6.53 to 7.81 nm during extended annealing.UV–Vis exhibited a bathochromic shift,reflecting reduced band gap energy(Eg)in NiS_(2).TEM revealed NiS_(2)QD formation,with agglomerated QD average size increasing from 7.13 to 9.65 nm with prolonged annealing.Pure NiS_(2) showed significant MB decolorization(89.85%)in acidic conditions.Annealed NiS_(2) QDs demonstrated notable antibacterial activity,yielding a 6.15mm inhibition zone against Escherichia coli(E.coli)compared to Ciprofloxacin.First-principles computation supported a robust interaction between MB and NiS_(2),evidenced by obtained adsorption energies.This study highlights the nuanced relationship between annealing duration,structural changes,and functional properties in NiS_(2)QDs,emphasizing their potential applications in catalysis and antibacterial interventions.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62374065)Interdisciplinary Research promotion of HUST (No. 2023JCYJ040)+2 种基金Innovation Project of Optics Valley Laboratory (No. OVL2021BG008)Program of Science Technology of Wenzhou City (No. G20210011)financial support from the Innovation and Technology Commission (Grant no. MHP/104/21)。
文摘Lead sulfide quantum dots(PbS QDs) hold unique characteristics, including bandgap tunability, solutionprocessability etc., which make them highly applicable in tandem solar cells(TSCs). In all QD TSCs, its efficiency lags much behind to their single junction counterparts due to the deficient interconnection layer(ICL) and defective subcells. To improve TSCs performance, we developed three kinds of ICL structures based on 1.34 and 0.96 e V PbS QDs subcells. The control, 1,2-ethanedithiol capped PbS QDs(PbS-EDT)/Au/tin dioxide(SnO_(2))/zinc oxide(Zn O), utilized SnO_(2) layer to obtain high surface compactness.However, its energy level mismatch causes incomplete recombination. Bypassing it, the second ICL(PbS-EDT/Au/Zn O) removed SnO_(2) and boosted the power conversion efficiency(PCE) from 5.75% to 8.69%. In the third ICL(PbS-EDT/poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine](PTAA)/Au/Zn O), a thin layer of PTAA can effectively fill fissures on the surface of PbS-EDT and also protect the front cells from solvent penetration. This TSC obtained a PCE of 9.49% with an open circuit voltage of 0.91 V, a short circuit current density of 15.47 m A/cm~2, and a fill factor of 67.7%. To the best of our knowledge, this was the highest PCE achieved by all PbS QD TSCs reported to date. These TSCs maintained stable performance for a long working time under ambient conditions.
基金financially suppor ted by Key Research and Development Project of Anhui Province(No.2023h11020002)Natural Science Research Project for Universities in Anhui Province(No.KJ2021ZD0006)+3 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(No.2208085MB21)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(No.PA2022GDSK0056)Anhui Laboratory of Molecule-Based Materials(No.fzj22009)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21725102,22205108)。
文摘Over the past few decades,photocatalysis technology has received extensive attention because of its potential to mitigate or solve energy and environmental pollution problems.Designing novel materials with outstanding photocatalytic activities has become a research hotspot in this field.In this study,we prepared a series of photocatalysts in which BiOCl nanosheets were modified with carbon quantum dots(CQDs)to form CQDs/BiOCl composites by using a simple solvothermal method.The photocatalytic performance of the resulting CQDs/BiOCl composite photocatalysts was assessed by rhodamine B and tetracycline degradation under visible-light irradiation.Compared with bare BiOCl,the photocatalytic activity of the CQDs/BiOCl composites was significantly enhanced,and the 5 wt%CQDs/BiOCl composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with a degradation efficiency of 94.5%after 30 min of irradiation.Moreover,photocatalytic N_(2)reduction performance was significantly improved after introducing CQDs.The 5 wt%CQDs/BiOCl composite displayed the highest photocatalytic N_(2)reduction performance to yield NH_3(346.25μmol/(g h)),which is significantly higher than those of 3 wt%CQDs/BiOCl(256.04μmol/(g h)),7 wt%CQDs/BiOCl(254.07μmol/(g h)),and bare BiOCl(240.19μmol/(g h)).Our systematic characterizations revealed that the key role of CQDs in improving photocatalytic performance is due to their increased light harvesting capacity,remarkable electron transfer ability,and higher photocatalytic activity sites.
基金the support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sk■odowska-Curie[Grant agreement No.711859]the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the co-funded project[Grant agreement no.3549/H2020/COFUND2016/2]+4 种基金the support of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology(KACST),Saudi Arabiathe financial support by the National Science Centre[Grant MAESTRO 11 No.2019/34/A/ST5/00416]the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program under the Marie Sk■odowska-Curie[Grant agreement No.843453]the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement 884444financial support by the Marie Sk■odowska-Curie Action(H2020MSCA-IF-2020,[Project No.101024237])
文摘The systematic advances in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)and stability of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have been driven by the developments of perovskite materials,electron transport layer(ETL)materials,and interfacial passivation between the relevant layers.While zinc oxide(ZnO)is a promising ETL in thin film photovoltaics,it is still highly desirable to develop novel synthetic methods that allow both fine-tuning the versatility of ZnO nanomaterials and improving the ZnO/perovskite interface.Among various inorganic and organic additives,zwitterions have been effectively utilized to passivate the perovskite films.In this vein,we develop novel,well-characterized betaine-coated ZnO QDs and use them as an ETL in the planar n-i-p PSC architecture,combining the ZnO QDs-based ETL with the ZnO/perovskite interface passivation by a series of ammonium halides(NH_(4)X,where X=F,Cl,Br).The champion device with the NH4F passivation achieves one of the highest performances reported for ZnO-based PSCs,exhibiting a maximum PCE of~22%with a high fill factor of 80.3%and competitive stability,retaining~78%of its initial PCE under 1 Sun illumination with maximum power tracking for 250 h.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52272166,22205214,and 12204427).
文摘Ag-In-Ga-S(AIGS)quantum dots(QDs)have recently attracted great interests due to the outstanding optical properties and eco-friendly components,which are considered as an alternative replacement for toxic Pb-and Cd-based QDs.However,enormous attention has been paid to how to narrow their broadband spectra,ignoring the application advantages of the broadband emission.In this work,the AIGS QDs with controllable broad green-red dual-emission are first reported,which is achieved through adjusting the size distribution of QDs by controlling the nucleation and growth of AIGS crystals.Resultantly,the AIGS QDs exhibit broad dual-emission at green-and red-band evidenced by photoluminescence(PL)spectra,and the PL relative intensity and peak position can be finely adjusted.Furthermore,the dual-emission is the intrinsic characteristics from the difference in confinement effect of large particles and tiny particles confirmed by temperature-dependent PL spectra.Accordingly,the AIGS QDs(the size consists of 17 nm and 3.7 nm)with 530 nm and 630 nm emission could successfully be synthesized at 220°C.By combining the blue light-emitting diode(LED)chips and dual-emission AIGS QDs,the constructed white light-emitting devices(WLEDs)exhibit a continuous and broad spectrum like natural sunlight with the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage(CIE)chromaticity coordinates of(0.33,0.31),a correlated color temperature(CCT)of 5425 K,color rendering index(CRI)of 90,and luminous efficacy of radiation(LER)of 129 lm/W,which indicates that the AIGS QDs have huge potential for lighting applications.
基金supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFF1200200)the Peiyang Talents Project of Tianjin University。
文摘Because of the low reactivity of cyclic nitrides,liquid-phase synthesis of carbon nitride introduces challenges despite its favorable potential for energy-efficient preparation and superior applications.In this study,we demonstrate a strong interaction between citric acid and melamine through experimental observation and theoretical simulation,which eff ectively activates melamine-condensation activity and produces carbon-rich carbon nitride nanosheets(CCN NSs)during hydrothermal reaction.Under a large specific surface area and increased light absorption,these CCN NSs demonstrate significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity in CO_(2) reduction,increasing the CO production rate by approximately tenfold compared with hexagonal melamine(h-Me).Moreover,the product selectivity of CCN NSs reaches up to 93.5%to generate CO from CO_(2).Furthermore,the annealed CCN NSs exhibit a CO conversion rate of up to 95.30μmol/(g h),which indicates an 18-fold increase compared with traditional carbon nitride.During the CCN NS synthesis,nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots(NDC QDs)are simultaneously produced and remain suspended in the supernatant after centrifugation.These QDs disperse well in water and exhibit excellent luminescent properties(QY=67.2%),allowing their application in the design of selective and sensitive sensors to detect pollutants such as pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenol with a detection limit of as low as 0.04μmol/L.Notably,the simultaneous synthesis of CCN NSs and NDC QDs provides a cost-eff ective and highly efficient process,yielding products with superior capabilities for catalytic conversion of CO_(2) and pollutant detection,respectively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52106089).
文摘Thermal management of nanoscale quantum dots(QDs)in light-emitting devices is a long-lasting challenge.The existing heat transfer reinforcement solutions for QDs-polymer composite mainly rely on thermal-conductive fillers.However,this strategy failed to deliver the QDs’heat generation across a long distance,and the accumulated heat still causes considerable temperature rise of QDs-polymer composite,which eventually menaces the performance and reliability of lightemitting devices.Inspired by the radially aligned fruit fibers in oranges,we proposed to eliminate this heat dissipation challenge by establishing long-range ordered heat transfer pathways within the QDs-polymer composite.Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers(UPEF)were radially aligned throughout the polymer matrix,thus facilitating massive efficient heat dissipation of the QDs.Under a UPEF filling fraction of 24.46 vol%,the in-plane thermal conductivity of QDs-radially aligned UPEF composite(QDs-RAPE)could reach 10.45 W m^(−1) K^(−1),which is the highest value of QDs-polymer composite reported so far.As a proof of concept,the QDs’working temperature can be reduced by 342.5℃ when illuminated by a highly concentrated laser diode(LD)under driving current of 1000 mA,thus improving their optical performance.This work may pave a new way for next generation high-power QDs lighting applications.
基金Funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(No.2022CFB861)the Wenhua College Research and Innovation Team(No.2022T01)。
文摘A composite was created by incorporating the quantum dot-enhanced SiO_(2)nanoparticles within this hydrogel.Based on this composite,a temperature-controlled fluorescent probe for DCP was developed.A meticulous examination of this probe revealed its attributes and factors affecting its performance.By using temperature modulation,the probe was adept at detecting DCP concentrations ranging between 1.0×10^(-6)and 9.0×10^(-6)mol/L.Such a probe offers remarkable selectivity,repeatability,and robust stability,so that the detection of DCP can be carried out at different temperatures,and a fast,reliable,sensitive and low-cost intelligent detection method is realized.
基金supported by the open research fund of Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory (2022SLABFN26)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21773024)+1 种基金the Sichuan Science and Technology program (2020YJ0324,2020YJ0262)the Reformation and Development Funds for Local Region Universities from China Government in 2020 (ZCKJ 2020-11)。
文摘The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth seriously hinder the practical application of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.To simultaneously address such issues,monodispersed Nb N quantum dots anchored on nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanorods(NbN@NHCR)are elaborately developed as efficient Li PSs immobilizer and Li stabilizer for high-performance Li-S full batteries.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations and experimental characterizations demonstrate that the sulfiphilic and lithiophilic NbN@NHCR hybrid can not only efficiently immobilize the soluble Li PSs and facilitate diffusion-conversion kinetics for alleviating the shuttling effect,but also homogenize the distribution of Li+ions and regulate uniform Li deposition for suppressing Li-dendrite growth.As a result,the assembled Li-S full batteries(NbN@NHCR-S||Nb N@NHCR-Li)deliver excellent long-term cycling stability with a low decay rate of 0.031%per cycle over 1000 cycles at high rate of 2 C.Even at a high S loading of 5.8 mg cm^(-2)and a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5.2μL mg^(-1),a large areal capacity of 6.2 mA h cm^(-2)can be achieved in Li-S pouch cell at 0.1 C.This study provides a new perspective via designing a dual-functional sulfiphilic and lithiophilic hybrid to address serious issues of the shuttle effect of S cathode and dendrite growth of Li anode.
