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Synthesis of ultrastable eu‐complex/polystyrene composite luminescent nanoparticles using a solvent swelling method
Author(s) -
Li Zhanjun,
Zhang Hongwu,
Shen Jiangshan
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.21185
Subject(s) - luminescence , polystyrene , materials science , nanoparticle , solvent , swelling , chemical engineering , polymer , composite number , nanotechnology , polymer chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , optoelectronics , engineering
Abstract Nanoparticles composed of Eu‐complex, Eu(TTA) 3 Phen, and polystyrene (PS) were successfully synthesized through an improved solvent swelling method. The unstable Eu(TTA) 3 Phen could be protected by the hydrophobic shell of PS nanoparticles. This method is very appropriate to embed unstable luminescent molecules into polymer nanoparticles. The as‐synthesized luminescent PS nanoparticles have been turned out to be water‐dispersible, strong red luminescent, ultrastable in strong acid and alkali, and luminescence lifetime enhanced. A cell imaging assay was further carried out and strong luminescent signal could be obtained, which showed that the as‐synthesized luminescent Eu‐complex/PS nanoparticles are a good candidate to be used as luminescent nanoparticles in tumor cell detection. This solvent swelling method is simple, easy to scale‐up, and has great potential in the preparation of other luminescent nanoparticles. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers