Structure observation of graphene quantum dots by single-layered formation in layered confinement space

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have received much research attention due to their unique optical/electrical/magnetic features. However, the intrinsic relationship between the structure and properties of GQDs remains not fully understood, because the controlled synthesis and the accurate structure determination of GQDs are still a great challenge. Here, single-layered GQDs are successfully obtained by the hydrothermal treatment of intercalated citrate in the confined space of 2D interlayer galleries of layered double hydroxides (LDHs). The distinct molecular structures of the single-layered GQDs reveal that the blue photoluminescence of the GQDs derives from a rigid π-conjugate plane structure, which is in accordance with theoretical calculations. This work will open the door towards a quantitative understanding of the structure-property effects of GQDs.     

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots doped silica nanoparticles as enhancers for electrochemiluminescence thrombin aptasensors based on 3D graphene

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor based on 3D graphene is described for thrombin detection utilizing nitrogen-doped graphene quantum...     

Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots with oxygen-rich functional groups

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) represent a new class of quantum dots with unique properties. Doping GQDs with heteroatoms provides an attractive means of effectively tuning their intrinsic properties and exploiting new phenomena for advanced device applications. Herein we report a simple electrochemical approach to luminescent and electrocatalytically active nitrogen-doped GQDs (N-GQDs) with oxygen-rich functional groups. Unlike their N-free counterparts, the newly produced N-GQDs with a N/C atomic ratio of ca. 4.3% emit blue luminescence and possess an electrocatalytic activity comparable to that of a commercially available Pt/C catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an alkaline medium. In addition to their use as metal-free ORR catalysts in fuel cells, the superior luminescence characteristic of N-GQDs allows them to be used for biomedical imaging and other optoelectronic applications.     

离子液体化石墨烯量子点及其对H2PO4-的荧光增强识别

通过表面修饰法制备了离子液体化石墨烯量子点(GQDs-IL),采用透射电子显微镜(TEM)、原子力显微镜(AFM)、傅里叶变换红外光谱仪(FTIR)、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)等对其形貌和结构进行了表征.结果 表明离子液体与GQDs通过酰胺键相连,GQDs-IL的粒径分布均匀,平均粒径为4.6nm.光谱性能表明,GQ...     

Strongly green-photoluminescent graphene quantum dots for bioimaging applications

Strongly fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have been prepared by one-step solvothermal method with PL quantum yield as high as 11.4%. The GQDs have high stability and can be dissolved in most polar solvents. Because of fine biocompatibility and low toxicity, GQDs are demonstrated to be excellent bioimaging agents.     

Luminscent graphene quantum dots for organic photovoltaic devices

Recent research in organic photovoltaic (OPV) is largely focused on developing low cost OPV materials such as graphene. However, graphene sheets (GSs) blended conjugated polymers are known to show inferior OPV characteristics as compared to fullerene adduct blended with conjugated polymer. Here, we demonstrate that graphene quantum dots blended with regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) or poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4phenylenevinylene) polymer results in a significant improvement in the OPV characteristics as compared to GSs blended conjugated polymers. This work has implications for inexpensive and efficient solar cells as well as organic light emitting diodes.     

Plasmonic giant quantum dots: hybrid nanostructures for truly simultaneous optical imaging,photothermal effect and thermometry

Hybrid semiconductor–metal nanoscale constructs are of both fundamental and practical interest. Semiconductor nanocrystals are active emitters of photons when stimulated optically, while the interaction of light with nanosized metal objects results in scattering and ohmic damping due to absorption. In a combined structure, the properties of both components can be realized together. At the same time, metal–semiconductor coupling may intervene to modify absorption and/or emission processes taking place in the semiconductor, resulting in a range of effects from photoluminescence quenching to enhancement. We show here that photostable ‘giant’ quantum dots when placed at the center of an ultrathin gold shell retain their key optical property of bright and blinking-free photoluminescence, while the metal shell imparts efficient photothermal transduction. The latter is despite the highly compact total particle size (40–60 nm “inorganic” diameter and <100 nm hydrodynamic diameter) and the very thin nature of the optically transparent Au shell. Importantly, the sensitivity of the quantum dot emission to local temperature provides a novel internal thermometer for recording temperature during infrared irradiation-induced photothermal heating.     

Fluorescent/phosphorescent dual-emissive conjugated polymer dots for hypoxia bioimaging

A kind of fluorescent/phosphorescent dual-emissive conjugated polyelectrolyte has been prepared by introducing phosphorescent platinum(ii) porphyrin (O₂-sensitive) into a fluorene-based conjugated polyelectrolyte (O₂-insensitive), which can form ultrasmall conjugated polymer dots (FP-Pdots) in the phosphate buffer solution (PBS) via self-assembly caused by their amphiphilic structures with hydrophobic backbones and hydrophilic side chains. These FP-Pdots can exhibit an excellent ratiometric luminescence response to O₂ content with high reliability and full reversibility for measuring oxygen levels, and the excellent intracellular ratiometric O₂ sensing properties of the FP-Pdots nanoprobe have also been confirmed by the evident change in the I _red/I _blue ratio values in living cells cultured at different O₂ concentrations. To confirm the reliability of the O₂ sensing measurements of the FP-Pdots nanoprobe, O₂ quenching experiments based on lifetime measurements of phosphorescence from Pt(ii) porphyrin moieties have also been carried out. Utilizing the sensitivity of the long phosphorescence lifetime from Pt(ii) porphyrins to oxygen, the FP-Pdots have been successfully applied in time-resolved luminescence imaging of intracellular O₂ levels, including photoluminescence lifetime imaging and time-gated luminescence imaging, which will evidently improve the sensing sensitivity and reliability. Finally, in vivo oxygen sensing experiments were successfully performed by luminescence imaging of tumor hypoxia in nude mice.     

Electrochemiluminescent aptasensor for thrombin using nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots

An electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptamer based method is described for the determination of thrombin. Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene oxide (3D-NGO) was placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to provide an electrode surface that displays excellent electrical conductivity and acts as a strong emitter of ECL. The modified electrode was further coated with chitosan via electrodeposition. Finally, the amino-modified aptamer was immobilized on the modified GCE. The interaction between thrombin and aptamer results in a decrease in ECL. The assay has a linear response in the 1 fM to 1 nM thrombin concentration range and a 0.25 fM lower detection limit (at an S/N ratio of 3). The method was applied to the determination of thrombin in spiked human plasma samples, and recoveries ranged between 94 and 105% (with RSDs of <3.6%). The calibration plot was recorded at potential and wavelength of fluorescence emission (wavelength:?445 nm; potential:?0 to -2 V).

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Graphical abstract A bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) does not display electrochemiluminescence (ECL). If, however, nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots, chitosan, and three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene oxide (NGQD-chitosan/3D-NGO) are electrodeposited on the GCE, strong ECL can be observed. The ECL intensity decreased after aptamer and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were dropped onto the electrode (curve a). However, the ECL further decreases after addition of thrombin (TB; curve b).

     

A glassy carbon electrode modified with graphene quantum dots and silver nanoparticles for simultaneous determination of guanine and adenine

Microchimica Acta - A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with graphene quantum dots (GQDs) carrying silver nanoparticles. The modified GCE displays excellent performance in the...     

Conjugation of quantum dots with graphene for fluorescence imaging of live cells

It is difficult to achieve fluorescent graphene-quantum dots (QDs) conjugation because graphene quenches the fluorescence of the QDs. In the present study, the conjugation of graphene (reduced graphene oxide, RGO) with QDs via a bridge of bovine serum albumin (BSA) provides a novel highly fluorescent nano probe for the first time. BSA capped QDs are firmly grafted onto polyethylenimine (PEI)/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) coated RGO (graphene-QDs) via electrostatic layer by layer assembly. The strong luminescence of the graphene-QDs provides a potential for non-invasive optical in vitro imaging. The graphene-QDs are used for in vitro imaging of live human carcinoma (Hela) cells. Graphene-QDs could be readily up-taken by Hela cells in the absence of specific targeting molecules, e.g., antibodies or folic acid, and no in vitro cytotoxicity is observed at 360 μg mL(-1) of the graphene-QDs. The results for the imaging of live cells indicated that the cell-penetrating graphene-QDs could be a promising nano probe for intracellular imaging and therapeutic applications.     

Bottom-up fabrication of photoluminescent graphene quantum dots with uniform morphology

Multicolor photoluminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with a uniform size of ～60 nm diameter and 2-3 nm thickness were prepared by using unsubstituted hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene as the carbon source. This result offers a new strategy to fabricate monodispersed GQDs with well-defined morphology.     

非金属光敏剂石墨烯量子点与磷化镍耦合用于可见光光催化制氢（英文）

利用光催化反应制取氢气是满足未来能源可持续利用的一个很有效的方法.然而,如何去开发和利用高效且稳定的非金属光催化剂用于产氢反应是目前所面临的一个巨大的挑战.最近,非金属纳米碳基材料由于其诸多优点而吸引了人们广泛的关注,比如价格低廉、环境友好和良好的稳定性等.另外,石墨烯量子点由于具有很好的水溶性、低毒性,良好的生物兼容性和很好的光学稳定性等优点而被当作是一种能够替代传统量子点的很有前途的材料.除此之外,石墨烯量子点的带隙还可以通过控制其颗粒大小和其表面所带的官能团来进行灵活调控.另一方面,金属磷化物(磷化镍、磷化钴等)已经被证实了是很好的水分解制氢的非贵金属助催化剂,它们可以加快光生电子和空穴的分离,从而提高光催化活性.本文利用非金属光敏剂石墨烯量子点与非贵金属助催化磷化镍进行耦合制备复合光催化剂,实现了在可见光照射下进行光催化制氢.在最优条件下,复合光催化剂的产氢速率为空白石墨烯量子点的94倍,甚至与在空白量子点上负载1.0wt%Pt的产氢速率相当.产氢速率的大幅度提升可能是由于在石墨烯的量子点和磷化镍之间形成了半导体–金属接触界面,从而更有效地促进了光生载流子的传输过程.石墨烯量子点本身有着很好的水溶性,从而利用机械搅拌的方法与磷化镍进行耦合,并在可见光下进行产氢反应.本文采用红外光谱(FTIR)、透射电镜(TEM)、紫外可见光谱(UV-Vis)和荧光光谱(PL)等表征手段研究了空白量子点表面所带的官能团、尺寸大小和光学性能.采用TEM和PL等表征手段来研究复合光催化剂的形貌和产氢性能提高的原因.对于空白量子点,FTIR结果表明,其表面带有–OH等官能团;TEM结果表明,它的尺寸大小大概在3.6±0.5 nm;UV-Vis结果表明,其在可见光区域有着很强的光吸收;PL结果表明,其在波长约为540 nm处有着很强的吸收峰,所对应的带隙约为2.3 eV.对于复合光催化剂,TEM测试结果表明石墨烯量子点在磷化镍上随机分布;从PL结果可见,复合光催化剂的荧光强度明显降低,说明了光生电子从量子点到磷化镍的有效转移,这也是光催化活性提高的重要原因     

Nanoscale connectivity in a TiO2/CdSe quantum dots/functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets/Au nanoparticles composite for enhanced photoelectrochemical solar cell performance

Electron transfer dynamics in a photoactive coating made of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and Au nanoparticles (NPs) tethered to a framework of ionic liquid functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) nanosheets and mesoporous titania (TiO(2)) was studied. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses on TiO(2)/CdSe/FGO/Au not only revealed the linker mediated binding of CdSe QDs with TiO(2) but also, surprisingly, revealed a nanoscale connectivity between CdSe QDs, Au NPs and TiO(2) with FGO nanosheets, achieved by a simple solution processing method. Time resolved fluorescence decay experiments coupled with the systematic quenching of CdSe emission by Au NPs or FGO nanosheets or by a combination of the latter two provide concrete evidences favoring the most likely pathway of ultrafast decay of excited CdSe in the composite to be a relay mechanism. A balance between energetics and kinetics of the system is realized by alignment of conduction band edges, whereby, CdSe QDs inject photogenerated electrons into the conduction band of TiO(2), from where, electrons are promptly transferred to FGO nanosheets and then through Au NPs to the current collector. Conductive-atomic force microscopy also provided a direct correlation between the local nanostructure and the enhanced ability of composite to conduct electrons. Point contact I-V measurements and average photoconductivity results demonstrated the current distribution as well as the population of conducting domains to be uniform across the TiO(2)/CdSe/FGO/Au composite, thus validating the higher photocurrent generation. A six-fold enhancement in photocurrent and a 100 mV increment in photovoltage combined with an incident photon to current conversion efficiency of 27%, achieved in the composite, compared to the inferior performance of the TiO(2)/CdSe/Au composite imply that FGO nanosheets and Au NPs work in tandem to promote charge separation and furnish less impeded pathways for electron transfer and transport. Such a hierarchical rapid electron transfer model can be adapted to other nanostructures as well, as they can favorably impact photoelectrochemical performance.     

S-doped graphene quantum dots as nanophotocatalyst for visible light degradation

S-doped graphene quantum dots (S-GQDs) with well crystallization and monodispersity were prepared and applied as novel nanophotocatalyst for visible light degradation of basic fuchsin.     

Expanding discriminative dimensions for analysis and imaging

Eliminating the contribution of interfering compounds is a key step in chemical analysis. In complex media, one possible approach is to perform a preliminary separation. However purification is often demanding, long, and costly; it may also considerably alter the properties of interacting components of the mixture (e.g. in a living cell). Hence there is a strong interest for developing separation-free non-invasive analytical protocols. Using photoswitchable probes as labelling and titration contrast agents, we demonstrate that the association of a modulated monochromatic light excitation with a kinetic filtering of the overall observable is much more attractive than constant excitation to read-out the contribution from a target probe under adverse conditions. An extensive theoretical framework enabled us to optimize the out-of-phase concentration first-order response of a photoswitchable probe to modulated illumination by appropriately matching the average light intensity and the radial frequency of the light modulation to the probe dynamics. Thus, we can selectively and quantitatively extract from an overall signal the contribution from a target photoswitchable probe within a mixture of species, photoswitchable or not. This simple titration strategy is more specifically developed in the context of fluorescence imaging, which offers promising perspectives.     

Synthesis of carbohydrate-conjugated nanoparticles and quantum dots

Nanoparticle-based probes are emerging as alternatives to molecular probes due to their various advantages, such as bright and tunable optical property, enhanced chemical and photochemical stability, and ease of introduction of multifunctionality. This work presents a simple and general approach for functionalizing various nanoparticle systems for use as glycobiological probes. Silica-coated nanoparticles of Ag, Fe3O4, and ZnS-CdSe were synthesized and functionalized with dextran. The resulting 10-40-nm-sized particles were robust, water-soluble, colloidally stable, and biochemically active.