Browsing by Author "Rogach, Andrey L."

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CdxHg(1x)Te Alloy Colloidal Quantum Dots: Tuning Optical Properties from the Visible to Near-Infrared by Ion Exchange
(2013-04-01)
Gupta, Shuchi
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Zhovtiuk, Olga
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Vaneski, Aleksandar
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Lin, Yan-Cheng
;
Chou, Wu-Ching
The energy gap between valence and conduction levels in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots can be tuned via the nanoparticle diameter when this is comparable to or less than the Bohr radius. In materials such as cadmium mercury telluride, which readily forms a single phase ternary alloy, this quantum confinement tuning can also be augmented by compositional tuning, which brings a further degree of freedom in the bandgap engineering. Here it is shown that compositional control of 2.3 nm diameter CdxHg(1x)Te nanocrystals by exchange of Hg2+ in place of Cd2+ ions can be used to tune their optical properties across a technologically useful range, from 500 nm to almost 1200 nm. Data on composition-dependent changes in the optical properties are provided, including bandgap, extinction coefficient, emission energy and spectral shape, Stokes shift, quantum efficiency, and radiative lifetimes as the exchange process occurs, which are highly relevant for those seeking to use these technologically important QD materials.
Photoluminescence and time-resolved carrier dynamics in thiol-capped CdTe nanocrystals under high pressure
(2013)
Lin, Yan-Cheng
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Chou, Wu-Ching
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Susha, Andrei S.
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Kershaw, Stephen V.
;
Rogach, Andrey L.
The application of static high pressure provides a method for precisely controlling and investigating many fundamental and unique properties of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs). This study systematically investigates the high-pressure photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved carrier dynamics of thiol-capped CdTe NCs of different sizes, at different concentrations, and in various stress environments. The zincblende-to-rocksalt phase transition in thiol-capped CdTe NCs is observed at a pressure far in excess of the bulk phase transition pressure. Additionally, the process of transformation depends strongly on NC size, and the phase transition pressure increases with NC size. These peculiar phenomena are attributed to the distinctive bonding of thiols to the NC surface. In a nonhydrostatic environment, considerable flattening of the PL energy of CdTe NC powder is observed above 3.0 GPa. Furthermore, asymmetric and double-peak PL emissions are obtained from a concentrated solution of CdTe NCs under hydrostatic pressure, implying the feasibility of pressure-induced interparticle coupling.
Self-Monitoring and Self-Delivery of Photosensitizer-Doped Nanoparticles for Highly Effective Combination Cancer Therapy in Vitro and in Vivo
(2015-10-01)
Zhang, Jinfeng
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Liang, Yu-Chuan
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Lin, Xudong
;
Zhu, Xiaoyue
;
Yan, Li
Theranostic nanomedicine is capable of diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring the delivery and distribution of drug molecules and has received growing interest. Herein, a self-monitored and self-delivered photosensitizer-doped FRET nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery system (DDS) is designed for this purpose. During preparation, a donor/acceptor pair of perylene and 5,10,15,20-tetro (4-pyridyl) porphyrin (H2TPyP) is co-doped into a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug curcumin (Cur) matrix. In the system, Cur works as a chemotherapeutic agent. In the meantime, the green fluorescence of Cur molecules is quenched (OFF) in the form of NPs and can be subsequently recovered (ON) upon release in tumor cells, which enables additional imaging and real-time self-monitoring capabilities. H2TPyP is employed as a photodynamic therapeutic drug, but it also emits efficient NIR fluorescence for diagnosis via FRET from perylene. By exploiting the emission characteristics of these two emitters, the combinatorial drugs provide a real-time dual-fluorescent imaging/tracking system in vitro and in vivo, and this has not been reported before in self-delivered DDS which simultaneously shows a high drug loading capacity (77.6%cur). Overall, our carrier-free DDS is able to achieve chemotherapy (Cur), photodynamic therapy (H2TPyP), and real-time self-monitoring of the release and distribution of the nanomedicine (Cur and H2TPyP). More importantly, the as-prepared NPs show high cancer therapeutic efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. We expect that the present real-time self-monitored and self-delivered DDS with multiple-therapeutic and multiple-fluorescent ability will have broad applications in future cancer therapy.