Synthesis and functionalization of luminescent silicon nanoparticles for biological applications

INOR 383

Xiaoming Zhang, xmzhang@ucdavis.edu1, Doinita Neiner, dneiner@ucdavis.edu1, Shizhong Wang, shiwang@ucdavis.edu1, Angelique Y Louie, aylouie@ucdavis.edu2, and Susan M Kauzlarich, smkauzlarich@ucdavis.edu3. (1) Department of Chemistry and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, (2) Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, GBSF Bldg, 451 East Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616, (3) Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
Abstract Interest in the synthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles has been generated by their unusual optical and electronic properties arising from quantum confinement effects. Silicon nanoparticles with strong blue photoluminescence were synthesized by the metathesis reaction of Zintl phase precusor, NaSi, with NH4Br in N,N-Dimethylformamide. These nanoparticles were coated with polymers to render them water soluble. The nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FT-IR, UV-vis absorption, and photoluminescence. The Si nanoparticles were shown to have an average diameter of 3.9 ±1.3 nm and exhibited room-temperature photoluminescence with a peak at 438 nm with a quantum efficiency of 32% in hexane and 18% in water; the emission is stable in ambient air. The nanoparticles could hold great potential for biological applications.
 

5th International Symposium on Chemistry and Biological Chemistry of Vanadium: Posters in Chemistry and Biochemistry
7:00 PM-10:00 PM, Sunday, 10 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Hall D, Poster

Division of Inorganic Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006