Synthesis of liquid crystal coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and their application in monitoring dynamic pH and ionic strength levels in biological solutions

ANYL 265

Sandra M Da Silva, sdasilva@uno.edu and Zeev Rosenzweig, zrosenzw@uno.edu. Department of Chemistry and the Advanced Material Research Institute (AMRI), University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70148
Liquid crystals are unique molecular materials because they can be oriented and positioned on a surface based on their molecular structure and surface chemistry. This presentation describes the synthesis of quantum dots coated with ligands which form a liquid crystalline phase on the surface of luminescent CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. This synthesis procedure results in quantum dots which are highly stable in biological solutions. Labeling the ligands with fluorescent acceptors results in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the quantum dots and the molecular acceptors. FRET measurements are then used to study the dynamic behavior of liquid crystals on the surface of the quantum dots in response to pH and ionic strength changes in biological samples.
 

General Posters
7:00 PM-9:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Sci-Mix

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007