A novel strategy to create bifunctional silica-protected quantum dot nanoprobe for fluorescence imaging

Abstract Quantum dots (QDs) as fluorescence probes have attracted increasing attention for their fluorescence imaging applications. In this work, we developed a novel strategy to create bifunctional silica-protected QD (BSQD) nanoparticles as nanoprobes for fluorescence imaging. The thiol-ene click reaction of monounsaturated fatty acid salts with mercapto silane as an efficient method for the synthesis of the bifurcated surface modifier was presented. BSQD nanoprobes were prepared by a facile one-pot method. The whole reaction process was carried out in an aqueous solution under relatively low temperature, which makes the synthesis environment eco-friendly and the products cost-effective. The synthesized BSQD nanoprobes have a structure consisting of hydrophilic and hydrophobic arms that afforded an amphiphilic feature to the silica-protected QD (SQD) nanoparticles. The separated solid BSQD nanoprobes could be well dispersed into aqueous solution once again, and the quantum yield of the BSQD nanoprobes was higher than that of the SQD naoprobes. BSQD nanoprobes exhibited high interfacial activity, strong photostability and good biocompatibility. BSQD nanoprobes were successfully applied for fluorescence imaging. The strategy for the construction of the functionalized SQD nanoparticles provides a promising approach for modifying the surface of materials containing QDs.