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Ultrabright Fluorescent Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Cho EunBum,
Volkov Dmytro O.,
Sokolov Igor
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201001337
Subject(s) - rhodamine 6g , mesoporous silica , fluorescence , materials science , rhodamine , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , mesoporous material , silicon dioxide , chemical engineering , rhodamine b , chemistry , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , composite material , optics , catalysis , physics , engineering
The first successful approach to synthesizing ultrabright fluorescent mesoporous silica nanoparticles is reported. Fluorescent dye is physically entrapped inside nanochannels of a silica matrix created during templated sol–gel self‐assembly. The problem of dye leakage from open channels is solved by incorporation of hydrophobic groups in the silica matrix. This makes the approach compatible with virtually any dye that can withstand the synthesis. The method is demonstrated using the dye Rhodamine 6G. The obtained 40‐nm silica particles are about 30 times brighter than 30‐nm coated water‐soluble quantum dots. The particles are substantially more photostable than the encapsulated organic dye itself.