High-efficient and pH-sensitive orange luminescence from silicon-doped carbon dots for information encryption and bio-imaging

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 607; pp. 16 - 23
• Main Authors: Sun, Zishan, Zhou, Weiying, Luo, Jiabao, Fan, Jiaqi, Wu, Zhan-chao, Zhu, Hongni, Huang, Jinqing, Zhang, Xinguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-02-2022
• Subjects: Bio-imaging; Carbon dots; Doping; Fluorescent anti-counterfeiting; Carbon dots; Fluorescent anti-counterfeiting; Doping; Bio-imaging
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.08.188

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The exploration of carbon dots (CDs) with high quantum yield, facile synthesis path and satisfying output for their multiple applications remains a challenge. Thus, a silicon-doped orange-emitting carbon dots (O-CDs) is synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method o-phenylenediamine and ethyl orthosilicate as raw materials. The O-CDs exhibits a bright and non-excitation-dependent emission peaking at 580 nm, and the corresponding quantum yield could be greatly boosted from 39.2 % to 64.1 % by silicon doping. The obtained O-CDs possess good biocompatibility and promising luminescence stability with varying solvents, ionic concentrations and temperatures. Its bio-imaging ability is performed by incubating zebrafish embryos with O-CDs aqueous solution, and clear in-vivo fluorescent images are obtained. Furthermore, due to its high-efficient and specific pH-sensitive emission with excellent dispersibility, the O-CDs can be used as a fluorescent ink for dual-model data encry/decryption in both hand-writing and stamp printing. Therefore, the as-prepared O-CDs show the potential as promising candidate for biomedical diagnosis, data encryption, and anti-counterfeiting.