Issue 2, 2014

One-pot phase transfer and surface modification of CdSe–ZnS quantum dots using a synthetic functional copolymer

Abstract

We present a facile, one-pot procedure for the organic-to-water phase transfer and biofunctionalization of semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, or QDs) which employs a synthetic functional copolymer, namely poly(DMA-NAS-MAPS), consisting of three components: a surface interacting monomer, N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA), a chemically reactive monomer, N-acryloyloxysuccinimide (NAS), and a silane monomer, [3-(methacryloyloxy)-propyl]-trimethoxysilane (MAPS). The nanocrystals were transferred to water by exploiting the amphiphilic character of the copolymer backbone. Hydrolyzed MAPS units contributed to improve the solubility of QDs in water, whereas NAS exhibited reactivity toward biomolecules. A solution of streptavidin in phosphate buffer exhibited good dispersion ability leading to a clear and transparent colloidal suspension, indicative of good QD dispersion during phase transfer and purification. Unlike most of the published methods, the proposed functionalization approach does not require coupling agents and multistep reactions.

Graphical abstract: One-pot phase transfer and surface modification of CdSe–ZnS quantum dots using a synthetic functional copolymer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
09 Aug 2013
Accepted
25 Oct 2013
First published
28 Oct 2013

Chem. Commun., 2014,50, 240-242

One-pot phase transfer and surface modification of CdSe–ZnS quantum dots using a synthetic functional copolymer

C. Finetti, M. Colombo, D. Prosperi, G. Alessio, C. Morasso, L. Sola and M. Chiari, Chem. Commun., 2014, 50, 240 DOI: 10.1039/C3CC46086J

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