Abstract
Monodisperse CuInS 2-ZnS nanocrystals were synthesized in organic solvents and effectively transferred to aqueous phase with the aid of trimethyl(tetradecyl)ammonium bromide (TTAB). TTAB-stabilized CuInS 2-ZnS (CIS-ZnS-TTAB) nanocomposites exhibited good aqueous stability and preserved the high luminescence of the nanocrystals after phase transfer. More intriguingly, without any further modification, CIS-ZnS-TTAB showed a striking nuclear homing property, preferentially accumulating in the nuclei of living cells. This novel probe CIS-ZnS-TTAB may have applications in nuclear selective imaging and as a multifunctional drug carrier for nuclear targeted drug delivery. Our work provides a simple but effective way for hydrophobic nanomaterials to achieve both phase transfer and nuclear selectivity simultaneously.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 21979-21986 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Materials Chemistry |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 41 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 7 Nov 2012 |