Stable DHLA–PEG capped PbS quantum dots: from synthesis to near-infrared biomedical imaging

Abstract

The short shelf-life of water-soluble quantum dots (QDs) due to colloidal instability represents a major drawback to their exploitation. This work examines the colloidal stability of PbS nanoparticles capped with dihydrolipoic acid–polyethylene glycol (DHLA–PEG) ligands terminated with functional groups such as –NH 2 , –COOH, OMe and –N3 and their application for in vivo imaging. We prove a mechanism of colloidal instability and develop a strategy to produce for the first time stable PEG-capped PbS quantum dots with high quantum yield and optical emission in the first and the second near-infrared (NIR) windows of low absorption of biological tissues. The NIR imaging of in vivo biodistribution is demonstrated at wavelengths 4 1000 nm, with benefits of reduced tissue absorption and light scattering. The stability, biocompatibility and potential for further QD functionalization open up realistic prospects for non-invasive bioimaging applications.

Citation

Zamberlan, F., Turyanska, L., Patanè, A., Liu, Z., Williams, H., Fay, M., …Grabowska, A. (in press). Stable DHLA–PEG capped PbS quantum dots: from synthesis to near-infrared biomedical imaging. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 6, https://doi.org/10.1039/c7tb02912h

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 15, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jan 12, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 12, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry B
• Print ISSN: 2050-750X
• Electronic ISSN: 2050-7518
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c7tb02912h
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/904517
• Publisher URL: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2018/tb/c7tb02912h