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The sonication process is commonly used for de-agglomerating and dispersing nanomaterials in aqueous based media, necessary to improve homogeneity and stability of the suspension. In this study, a systematic step-wise approach is carried out to identify optimal sonication conditions in order to achieve a stable dispersion. This approach has been adopted and shown to be suitable for several nanomaterials (cerium oxide, zinc oxide, and carbon nanotubes) dispersed in deionized (DI) water. However, with any change in either the nanomaterial type or dispersing medium, there needs to be optimization of the basic protocol by adjusting various factors such as sonication time, power, and sonicator type as well as temperature rise during the process. The approach records the dispersion process in detail. This is necessary to identify the time Points as well as other above-mentioned conditions during the sonication process in which there may be undesirable changes, such as damage to the particle surface thus affecting surface properties. Our goal is to offer a harmonized approach that can control the Quality of the final, produced dispersion. Such a guideline is instrumental in ensuring dispersion quality repeatability in the nanoscience community, particularly in the field of nanotoxicology.
Gallium – a versatile element for tuning the photoluminescence properties of InP quantum dots
(2019)
With the goal to tune the emission properties of colloidal InP quantum dots, the incorporation of Ga was explored. Unexpectedly, depending on the nature of the gallium precursor, the photoluminescence shifted either to the red (gallium oleate) or to the blue (gallium acetylacetonate). In the first case, larger-sized InP/GaP core/shell nanocrystals were formed, while in the second case the formation of an InGaP alloy structure enabled the blue range of emission (475 nm) to be accessed.
Due to their unique optical properties, quantum dots (QDs) are used in a number of optoelectronic devices and are forecasted to be used in the near future for biomedical applications. The most popular QD composition consists of cadmium selenide (CdSe) or cadmium telluride (CdTe), which has been shown to pose health risks due to the release of toxic cadmium (Cd) ions. Due to similar optical properties but lower intrinsic toxicity, indium phosphide (InP) QDs have been proposed as a safer alternative. Nevertheless, investigations regarding their safety and possible toxicological effects are still in their infancy.
The fate and toxicity of seven different water-dispersible indium (In) based QDs, either pristine or after ageing in a climatic chamber, was evaluated. The core of these QDs was composed of indium, zinc and phosphorus (InZnP) or indium, zinc, phosphorus and sulfur (InZnPS). They were assessed either as core-only or as core-shell QDs, for which the core was capped with a shell of zinc, selenium and sulfur (Zn(Se,S)). Their Surface was functionalized using either penicillamine or glutathione.
In their pristine form, these QDs showed essentially no cytotoxicity. The particular case of InZnPS QD showed that core-shell QDs were less cytotoxic than core-only QDs. Moreover, surface functionalization with either penicillamine or glutathione did not appreciably influence cytotoxicity but affected QD stability. These QDs did not lead to over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species in exposed cells, or to any oxidative damage to cellular DNA. However, accelerated weathering in a climatic chamber led to QD precipitation and degradation, together with significant cytotoxic effects. Ageing led to dissociation of IneP and ZneS bonds, and to complexation of In Zn ions with carboxylate and/or phosphate moieties.
These results show that InZnP and InZnPS alloyed QDs are safer alternatives to CdSe QDs. They underline the necessity to preserve as much as possible the structural integrity of QDs, for instance by developing more robust shells, in order to ensure their safety for future applications.
With the goal to improve their photostability, InP-based QDs are passivated with three types of inorganic shells, namely (i) a gradient ZnSexS1−x shell, (ii) an additional ZnS shell on top of the gradient shell with two different thicknesses (core/shell/shell, CSS), (iii) an alumina coating on top of ZnS. All three systems have photoluminescence Quantum yields (PLQY) > 50%and similar PL decay times (64–67 ns). To assess their photostability they are incorporated into a transparent poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix and exposed to continuous irradiation with simulated sunlight in a climate chamber. The alumina coated core/shell system exhibits the highest stability in terms of PLQY Retention as well as the lowest shift of the PL maximum and lowest increase of the PL linewidth, followed by the CSS QDs and finally the gradient shell system. By means of XPS studies we identify the degradation of the ZnS outer layer and concomitant xidation of the emissive InZnP core as the main origins of degradation in the gradient structure. These modifications do not occur in the case of the alumina-capped sample, which exhibits excellent chemical stability. The gradient shell and CSS systems could be transferred to the aqueous phase using surface ligand exchange with penicillamine. Cytotoxicity studies on human primary keratinocytes revealed that exposure for 24 h to 6.25–100 nM of QDs did not affect cell viability. However, a trend toward reduced cell proliferation is observed for higher concentrations of gradient shell and CSS QDs with a thin ZnS shell, while CSS QDs with a thicker ZnS shell do not exhibit any impact.