Bright Quantum‐Dot‐Sized Single‐Chain Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Nanoparticles: Synthesis,Characterization and Application for Specific Extracellular Labeling and Imaging |
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| Authors: | Jie Liu Guangxue Feng Rongrong Liu Nikodem Tomczak Lin Ma Gagik G Gurzadyan Bin Liu |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, , Singapore, 117576;2. Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, , Singapore, 117411;3. Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, , Singapore, 117602;4. Division of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, , Singapore, 637371 |
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| Abstract: | We report a simple method to fabricate quantum‐dot‐sized nanoparticles (NPs) from poly9,9‐bis((6‐N,N,N‐trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorene‐alt‐co‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole dibromide] (PFBD). The transmission electron microscope results reveal that the obtained NPs have a mean diameter of ≈4 nm, which is composed of a single PFBD chain. The NPs show bright fluorescence with an emission maximum at ≈636 nm and a quantum yield of ≈26% in water. The fluorescence properties of the NPs are characterized by steady fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence dynamic study and single nanoparticle microscopy, which show superior brightness over commercial quantum dots QD655. The NPs are further conjugated with streptavidin to yield PFBD‐SA NPs, which serve as a specific extracellular labeling and imaging probe with high specificity and good photostability. |
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| Keywords: | conjugated polyelectrolyte fluorene benzoxadiazole ultrasonication single‐chain nanoparticles extracellular labeling |
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