TY - JOUR A1 - Stroyuk, O. A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Raevskaya, A. A1 - Spranger, F. A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Gaponik, N. A1 - Zahn, D. R. T. T1 - Inherently broadband photoluminescence in Ag−In−S/ZnS quantum dots observed in ensemble and single-particle studies JF - JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C N2 - We present a series of results that demonstrate that the broadband photoluminescence (PL) of aqueous glutathione-capped Ag−In−S (AIS) nanocrystals (NCs) is an inherent property of each NC, rather than a collective characteristic of an NC ensemble. By analyzing parameters affecting the PL features such as the postsynthesis annealing and the deposition of a passivating ZnS shell, we found no correlation between the spectral width of the PL band of AIS (AIS/ZnS) NCs and the density of the lattice defects. Analysis of the PL spectra of a series of size-selected AIS/ZnS NCs revealed that the PL width of fractionated NCs does not depend on the NC size and size distribution. The PL measurements in a broad temperature window from 320 to 10 K demonstrated that the PL width does not decrease with decreasing temperature as expected for an emission arising from thermally activated detrapping processes. Also, we show that the model of the self-trapped exciton can be versatilely applied to reconstruct the PL spectra of different AIS NCs and can account for the effects typically attributed to variations in defect state energy. Measurements of the PL properties of single AIS/ZnS NCs highlighted the broadband nature of the emission of individual NCs. The presented results show that the broadband PL of ternary NCs most probably does not originate from lattice defects but involves the NC lattice as a whole, and, therefore, by tailoring the NC structure, PL efficiencies as high as those reported for binary cadmium or lead chalcogenide NCs can be potentially reached. KW - Nano KW - Nanomaterial KW - Ternary quantum dots KW - AIS KW - Semiconductor nanocrystal KW - Photoluminescence KW - Mechanism KW - Single particle spectroscopy KW - Quantum yield KW - Photophysics PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11835 SN - 1932-7447 VL - 123 IS - 4 SP - 2632 EP - 2641 PB - ACS AN - OPUS4-47419 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ren, J. A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Weber, F. A1 - Wang, Y. A1 - Choudhury, S. A1 - Xiao, J. A1 - Lauermann, I. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Bande, A. A1 - Petit, T. ED - Petit, Tristan T1 - Influence of surface chemistry on optical, chemical and electronic properties of blue luminescent carbon dots JF - Nanoscale N2 - Carbon dots have attracted much attention due to their unique optical, chemical and electronic properties enabling a wide range of applications. The properties of carbon dots can be effectively adjusted through modifying their chemical composition. However, a major challenge remains in understanding the core and surface contributions to optical and electronic transitions. Here, three blue luminescent carbon dots with carboxyl, amino and hydroxyl groups were comprehensively characterized by UV-vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the surface functionality on their fluorescence was probed by pH-dependent photoluminescence measurements. Moreover, the hydrogen bonding interactions between water and the surface groups of carbon dots were characterized by infrared spectroscopy. Our results show that both core and surface electronic states of blue luminescent carbon dots contribute to electronic acceptor levels while the chemical nature of the surface groups determines the hydrogen bonding behavior of the carbon dots. This comprehensive spectroscopic study demonstrates that the surface chemistry has a profound influence on the electronic configuration and surface–water interaction of carbon dots, thus affecting their photoluminescence properties. KW - Quantum dots KW - Spectroscopy KW - UV Vis KW - Fluorescence KW - Surface chemistry PY - 2019 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-472325 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c8nr08595a SN - 2040-3372 VL - 11 IS - 4 SP - 2056 EP - 2064 PB - RSC AN - OPUS4-47232 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Özelci, Ersan A1 - Rühle, Bastian A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Lubotzky, B. A1 - Kewes, G. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Benson, O. T1 - Quantitative measurements of the pH-sensitive quantum yield of fluorophores in mesoporous silica thin films using a drexhage-type experiment JF - The Journal of Physical Chemistry C N2 - The photoluminescence quantum yield characterizes the performance of emitters for applications in optical devices, as reporters or probes in material and analytical sciences, and for sensing applications. Quantum yield measurements are challenging for luminescent molecules and nanocrystals immobilized in thin films for many sensor applications, particularly if spatially resolved quantitative luminescence information is desired. We show here that a Drexhage-type experiment, where a silver-coated millimeter-sized sphere is used to modify the local density of states, can provide an elegant approach to counter this challenge. As a representative example of the potential of this method, we measure the pH-dependent photoluminescence quantum yield of fluorescein isothiocyanate bound to a thin mesoporous silica film. The results were compared with those of the studies on the pH dependence of the same dye in solution. We found that our approach can link single fluorophore studies to ensemble measurements and pave the way for the spatially resolved fluorescence measurements of ultralow concentrations of emitters utilized as optically active elements and reporters in thin sensor films or incorporated into membranes. KW - Fluorescence KW - Quantum yield KW - Method KW - pH KW - Dye KW - Sensor KW - Fluorescein KW - Film KW - Silica KW - Single molecule KW - Lifetime KW - Absolute quantum yield PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b03917 SN - 1932-7447 SN - 1932-7455 VL - 123 IS - 33 SP - 20468 EP - 20475 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-48984 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Martynenko, Irina V. A1 - Kusic, Dragana A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Stafford, S. A1 - Donnelly, F. C. A1 - Evstigneev, R. A1 - Gromova, Y. A1 - Baranov, A. V. A1 - Rühl, Bastian A1 - Kunte, Hans-Jörg A1 - Gun'ko, Y. K. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Magneto-fluorescent microbeads for bacteria detection constructed from superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and AIS/ZnS quantum dots JF - Analytical chemistry N2 - The efficient and sensitive detection of pathogenic microorganisms in aqueous environments, such as water used in medical applications, drinking water, and cooling water of industrial plants, requires simple and fast methods suitable for multiplexed detection such as flow cytometry (FCM) with optically encoded carrier beads. For this purpose, we combine fluorescent Cd-free Ag−In−S ternary quantum dots (t-QDs) with fluorescence Lifetimes (LTs) of several hundred nanoseconds and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (SPIONs) with mesoporous CaCO3 microbeads to a magneto-fluorescent bead platform that can be surface-functionalized with bioligands, such as antibodies. This inorganic bead platform enables immuno-magnetic separation, target enrichment, and target quantification with optical readout. The beads can be detected with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). Moreover, they are suited for readout by time gated emission. In the following, the preparation of these magneto-fluorescent CaCO3 beads, their spectroscopic and analytic characterization, and their conjugation with bacteria-specific antibodies are presented as well as proof-of-concept measurements with Legionella pneumophila including cell cultivation and plating experiments for bacteria quantification. Additionally, the possibility to discriminate between the long-lived emission of the LT-encoded capture and carrier CaCO3 beads and the short-lived Emission of the dye-stained bacteria with time-resolved fluorescence techniques and single wavelength excitation is demonstrated. KW - Fluorescence KW - method KW - lifetime KW - quantum yield KW - particle KW - magnetic nanoparticle KW - immunoseparation KW - flow cytometry KW - fluorescence microscopy KW - nanoparticle KW - quantum dot KW - AIS QD KW - fluorescence KW - bacteria detection KW - bacteria KW - antibody KW - Legionella KW - screening tes KW - FLIM PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b01812 SN - 0003-2700 SN - 1520-6882 VL - 91 SP - 12661 EP - 12669 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-50117 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gharaati, S. A1 - Wang, Cui A1 - Förster, C. A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Heinze, K. T1 - Triplet–Triplet Annihilation Upconversion in a MOF with AcceptorFilled Channels JF - Chemistry - A European Journal N2 - In summary, we report a highly modular solid TTA-UC system comprising of a crystalline, thermally stable PCN222(Pd) MOF with CA-coated MOF channels and with a DPA annihilator embedded in a solution-like environment in the MOF channels. This solid material displays blue upconverted delayed emission with a luminescence lifetime of 373 us, a threshold value of 329 mW*cm-2 and a triplet–triplet energy transfer efficiency of 82%. This optical application adds another facet to the versatile chemistry of PCN-222 MOFs. The design concept is also applicable to other TTA-UC pairs and enables tuning of the UCL color, for example, by replacing DPA with other dyes as exemplarily shown for 2,5,8,11-tetra-tert-butyl-perylene, that yields UCL at 450 nm. Current work aims to reduce the oxygen sensitivity and to increase the retention of the trapped annihilators in organic environments, for example, by tuning the chain length of the carboxylic acid and by coating the MOF surface. In addition, the TTA-UC efficiency will be further enhanced by reducing the reabsorption of the UC emission caused by Pd(TCPP) and by optimizing the sensitizer/annihilator interface. KW - Porphyrin KW - Method KW - MOF KW - Fluorescence KW - Dye KW - Sensor KW - Oxygen sensitive KW - Single molecule KW - DPA KW - Lifetime KW - Upconverstion KW - Quantum yield KW - Triplet-triplet annihilation KW - Sensitization KW - Energy transfer KW - NMR PY - 2019 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-500580 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201904945 VL - 26 IS - 5 SP - 1003 EP - 1007 PB - Wiley-VCH Verlag CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-50058 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -