Facile Fabrication of Aggregation-induced Emission Based Red Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles for Cell Imaging

• Published in: Chinese journal of polymer science 2014-07, Vol.32 (7), p.871-879
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xi-qi, Zhang, Xiao-yong, Yang, Bin, Wei, Yen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Polymer Sciences; 傅里叶变换红外光谱; 发光; 有机纳米粒子; 简易制作; 红色荧光; 细胞成像; 聚集; 诱导
• ISSN: 0256-7679; 1439-6203
• DOI: 10.1007/s10118-014-1461-6

A cyano-substituted diarylethlene derivative aggregation-induced emission （ALE） dye with two amino end-groups and 4,4＇-（hexafluoroisopropylidene）diphthalic anhydride were facilely incorporated into red fluorescent organic nanoparticles （FONs） via room temperature anhydride ring-opening polymerization under an air atmosphere. These obtained RO-HFDA FONs were characterized by a series of techniques including gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size distribution and zeta potential measurements, UV-Vis absorption spectrum, fluorescent spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility evaluation and cell uptake behavior of RO-HFDA FONs were further investigated to explore their potential biomedical application. We demonstrated that such FONs showed high water dispersibility, stable uniform spherical morphology （150-200 nm）, broad excitation band （350-605 nm）, intense red fluorescence （627 nm） and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising for cell imaging applications.