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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Fiona Dickinson, Thomas Alsop, Dr Christine Berger, Dr Harish Datta, Professor Lidija Siller, Dr Yimin Chao, Dr Eimer TuiteORCiD, Professor Andrew HoultonORCiD, Dr Ben Horrocks
Alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals can be dispersed in aqueous media by shaking or stirring their solutions in organic solvents (DMSO, ether, THF) with excess water. THF is the most straightforward choice with which to prepare stable aqueous dispersions, because the nanocrystals are very soluble in THF and it is also miscible with water. As little as 0.01% v/v tetrahydrofuran is sufficient. DMSO and ether were the preferred choices for subsequent staining of live cells because THF shows some acute toxicity even when very dilute. The luminescence intensity of the aqueous dispersions is linear in particle concentration and independent of pH over the range 5-9. The sols retain their photoluminescence and are stable against flocculation for at least 6 months.
Author(s): Dickinson FM, Alsop TA, Al-Sharif N, Berger CEM, Datta HK, Siller L, Chao Y, Tuite EM, Houlton A, Horrocks BR
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Analyst
Year: 2008
Volume: 133
Issue: 11
Pages: 1573-1580
Print publication date: 01/01/2008
Date deposited: 04/08/2010
ISSN (print): 0003-2654
ISSN (electronic): 1364-5528
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b801921e
DOI: 10.1039/b801921e
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