An efficient solid-state synthesis of fluorescent surface carboxylated carbon dots derived from C60 as a label-free probe for iron ions in living cells

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 144; pp. 93 - 97
• Main Authors: Lan, Jing, Liu, Chunfang, Gao, Mingxuan, Huang, Chengzhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-11-2015
• Subjects: Carboxylation; Carboxylic Acids - chemistry; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic - methods; Fe3; Fluorescent carbon dots; Fluorescent Dyes - chemical synthesis; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; Fullerenes - chemistry; Humans; Intracellular imaging; Intracellular Space - chemistry; Iron - analysis; Iron - chemistry; Molecular Imaging; Sodium Hydroxide - chemistry; Solid-state synthesis (SSS); Temperature; Carboxylation; Fluorescent carbon dots; Solid-state synthesis (SSS); Fe3; Intracellular imaging; Fe(3+)
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2015.05.071

In order to achieve the simple, easily repeated, and large scale preparation of fluorescent CDs, a new solid-state synthesis (SSS) approach was developed by calcining the mixture of fullerenes (C60) and solid sodium hydroxide. The cage of fullerenes could be opened and the hydroxyl and carboxyl were successfully introduced in the presence of sodium hydroxide under high temperature. The as-prepared surface carboxylated CDs possess many good properties, such as high water solubility, good photostability, salt tolerance, and nontoxicity. Especially, the fluorescence of CDs could be highly quenched by Fe3+ because of the strong interaction of hydroxyl or carboxyl on the as-obtained CDs with Fe3+, which realized a sensitive detection of Fe3+ in the linear range of 0.02–0.6μmol/L. What is more, we further applied the obtained CDs into the intracellular imaging of Fe3+.
By calcining the mixture of fullerenes (C60) and solid sodium hydroxide, surface carboxylated CDs were prepared, which possess the properties of high water solubility, good photostability, salt tolerance, nontoxicity, and could be highly selectively quenched by Fe3+ because of the strong interaction of hydroxyl or carboxyl on the as-obtained CDs with Fe3+, realizing the intracellular imaging of Fe3+.
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•A facile solid-state synthesis (SSS) approach was used to prepare fluorescent CDs.•The surface carboxylation of CDs was achieved through the SSS approach.•The as-prepared CDs were used for intracellular imaging of Fe3+.