BODIPY@carbon dot nanocomposites for enhanced photodynamic activity

Abstract

One stumbling block for the biomedical applications of BODIPY is its poor water solubility. Herein, a type of nanocomposite named CBNPs was fabricated via the noncovalent interactions between carbon dots (CDs) and BODIPY, in which the solubility of BODIPY was improved significantly, followed by enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT) effects through a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. This work provides a conventional strategy to improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic functional materials and demonstrates the great potential of CD-based hybrids in biomedical fields.