Abstract
Luminescent nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs) have great potential for bioanalysis as well as optoelectronics. Here we report an effective and inexpensive fabrication method of silicon carbide quantum dots (SiC QDs), with diameter below 8 nm, based on electroless wet chemical etching. Our samples show strong violet-blue emission in the 410–450 nm region depending on the solvents used and particle size. The cytotoxic properties of the SiC QDs based on alamarBlueTM assay cells were studied. The presence of the QDs dots does not affect cell growth in a wide concentration range. Two-photon excitation showed significant response from SiC nanocrystals that were injected into hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M.J. Murcia and C.A. Naumann: Biofunctionalization of fluorescent nanoparticles, in Nanotechnologies for Life Sciences, Vol. 1, edited by S.S.R Kumar (Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2005), pp. 1–40.
I.L. Medintz, H.T. Uyeda, E.R. Goldman, and H. Mattoussi: Quantum dot bioconjugates for imaging, labeling and sensing. Nat. Mater. 4, 435, (2005).
S. Kim, B. Fisher, H.J. Eisler, and M. Bawendi: Type-II quantum dots: CdTe/CdSe (core/shell) and CdSe/ZnTe (core/shell) heterostructures. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 11466, (2003).
Y.W. Cao, J. Aksenton, V. Soloviev, and U. Banin: Colloidal synthesis and properties of InAs/InP and InAs/CdSe core/shell, nanocrystals. in Semiconductor Quantum Dots, edited by S.C. Moss, D. Ila, H.W.H Lee, and D.J. Norris (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 571, Warrendale, PA, 2000) p. 75.
R. Hardman: A toxicologic review of quantum dots: Toxicity depends on physicochemical and environmental factors. Environ. Health Perspect. 114, 165, (2006).
F. Hua, F. Erogbogbo, K.T. Yong, I. Roy, G.X. Xu, P.N. Prasad, and M.T. Swihart: Organically capped silicon nanoparticles with blue photoluminescence prepared by hydrosilylation followed by oxidation. ACS Nano 2, 873, (2008).
Y. Kanemitsu, N. Shimizu, T. Komoda, P.L.F Hemment, and B.J. Sealy: Photoluminescent spectrum and dynamics of Si+-ion-implanted and thermally annealed SiO2 glasses. Phys. Rev. B 54, R14329 (1996).
G. Hadjisawas and P. Kelires: Structure and energetics of Si nanocrystals embedded in a-SiO2. Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 226104 (2004).
X. Wu, J. Fan, T. Qiu, X. Yang, G. Siu, and P.K. Chu: Experimental evidence for the quantum confinement effect in 3C-SiC nanocrystallites. Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 6 (2005).
J.Y. Fan, X.L. Wu, H.X. Li, H.W. Liu, G.G. Siu, and P.K. Chu: Luminescence from colloidal 3C-SiC nanocrystals in different solvents. Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 041909 (2006).
J. Botsoa, J.M. Bluet, V. Lysenko, O. Marty, D. Barbier, and G. Guillot: Photoluminescence of 6H–SiC nanostructures fabricated by electrochemical etching. J. Appl. Phys. 102, 083526 (2007).
Z. Makkai, B. Pécz, I. Bársony, G. Vida, A. Pongrácz, K.V. Josepovits, and P. Deák: Isolated SiC nanocrystals in SiO2. Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 253109 (2005).
C. Coletti, M.J. Jaroszeski, A. Pallaoro, A.M. Hoff, S. Iannotta, and S.E. Saddow: Biocompatibility and wettability of crystalline SiC and Si surfaces. In IEEE EMBS Proceedings 29th Annual International Conference. 5849–5852 (EMBS, Lyon, France, 2007).
C.T. Raya, D.H. Maldonado, J.R. Rico, C.G. Gañan, A.R. de Arellano-Lopez, and J.M. Fernandez: Fabrication, chemical etching, and compressive strength of porous biomimetic SiC for medical implants. J. Mater. Res. 23, 3247–3254 (2008).
J. Botsoa, V. Lysenko, A. Géloën, O. Marty, J.M. Bluet, and G. Guillot: Application of 3C-SiC quantum dots for living cell imaging. Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 173902 (2008).
T. Serdiuk, V. Lysenko, V. Skryshevsky, and A. Géloën: Vapor phase-mediated cellular uptake of sub-5 nm nanoparticles. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 7, 212 (2012).
D. Beke, Zs. Szekrényes, I. Balogh, M. Veres, É. Fazakas, L.K. Varga, K. Kamarás, Zs. Czigány, and A. Gali: Characterization of luminescent silicon carbide nanocrystals prepared by reactive bonding and subsequent wet chemical etching. Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 213108 (2011).
J. Zhu, Z. Liu, X.L. Wu, L.L. Xu, W.C. Zhang, and P.K. Chu: Luminescent small-diameter 3C-SiC nanocrystals fabricated via a simple chemical etching method. Nanotechnology 18, 365603 (2007).
G. Katona, G. Szalay, P. Maák, A. Kaszás, M. Veress, D. Hillier, B. Chiovini, E.S. Vizi, B. Roska, and B. Rózsa: Fast two-photon in vivo imaging with three-dimensional random-access scanning in large tissue volumes. Nat. Methods 9, 201 (2012).
M. Maravall, Z.F. Mainen, B.L. Sabatini, and K. Svoboda: Estimating intracellular calcium concentrations and buffering without wavelength ratioing. Biophys. J. 78, 2655–2667 (2000).
Acknowledgments
Hungarian OTKA Grant No. 101819 and Bolyai Jânos Research Scholarship of HAS for Zs.C. are acknowledged. A.G. and L.B. acknowledge the support from the special research program “Lendület” from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Two-photon imaging was supported by Hungarian-French Grant (TÉT_10-1-2011-0389), Hungarian-Swiss Grant (SH/7/2/8), and OTKA (K 105997). Hungarian OTKA Grant Nos. 106114 and 106216 are also acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beke, D., Szekrényes, Z., Pálfi, D. et al. Silicon carbide quantum dots for bioimaging. Journal of Materials Research 28, 205–209 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.296
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2012.296