Gold nanoparticles/glycine derivatives/graphene quantum dots composite with tunable fluorescence and surface enhanced Raman scattering signals for cellular imaging

Publication date: 5 June 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 123
Author(s): Jiefei Liu, Lixia Qin, Shi-Zhao Kang, Guodong Li, Xiangqing Li
Controllable assembly of the hybrids composed of various types of nanoscale objects provides new opportunities for material fabrication. Herein, the tunable bi-functionalities of fluorescence and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals were collected by the assembled composites of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/glycine derivatives (Gn, n=0, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9)/graphene quantum dots (GQDs). The composition and structure of the AuNPs/Gn/GQDs composites were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Results indicated that the fluorescence and SERS response could be tuned effectively by changing the chain length of Gn. Also, the AuNPs/Gn/GQDs composites could be used in a wide pH range and exhibited good stability at room and physiological temperatures. Moreover, the AuNPs/Gn/GQDs composites displayed low cytotoxicity in A549 cells, and the cell viability was found to be above 90% at concentrations ranging from 6.42 to 200μg/mL, which made AuNPs/Gn/GQDs composites very attractive for biological imaging applications in vivo.

Graphical abstract

http://ift.tt/2n8VsL1