Highly luminescent CuInS2–ZnS nanocrystals: achieving phase transfer and nuclear homing property simultaneously through simple TTAB modification

Abstract

Monodisperse CuInS₂–ZnS nanocrystals were synthesized in organic solvents and effectively transferred to aqueous phase with the aid of trimethyl(tetradecyl)ammonium bromide (TTAB). TTAB-stabilized CuInS₂–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.