Size controlled synthesis of germanium nanocrystals by hydride reducing agents and their biological applications

Sujay Prabakar; Amane Shiohara; Sanshiro Hanada; Kouki Fujioka; Kenji Yamamoto; Richard D. Tilley

doi:10.1021/cm9030599

Size controlled synthesis of germanium nanocrystals by hydride reducing agents and their biological applications

Sujay Prabakar, Amane Shiohara, Sanshiro Hanada, Kouki Fujioka, Kenji Yamamoto, Richard D. Tilley

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

85 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized by the hydride reduction of germanium tetrachloride (GeCl ₄) in inverse micelles using hydride reducing agents including lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH ₄), lithium triethyl borohydride (Li(C ₂H ₅) ₃BH), lithium borohydride (LiBH ₄), and sodium borohydride (NaBH ₄). Monodisperse Ge nanocrystals with average sizes ranging from 4.0 to 5.5 nm were produced using a simple room temperature technique. The nanocrystals were capped using allylamine. The nanocrystals displayed strong blue luminescence, and their application as optical probes is demonstrated by the imaging of HepG2 cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanocrystals. The cytotoxicity of the nanocrystals is also reported, and the germanium quantum dots were found to be relatively nontoxic.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	482-486
Number of pages	5
Journal	Chemistry of Materials
Volume	22
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/cm9030599
Publication status	Published - 26 Jan 2010
Externally published	Yes

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10.1021/cm9030599

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Cite this

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title = "Size controlled synthesis of germanium nanocrystals by hydride reducing agents and their biological applications",

abstract = "Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized by the hydride reduction of germanium tetrachloride (GeCl 4) in inverse micelles using hydride reducing agents including lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH 4), lithium triethyl borohydride (Li(C 2H 5) 3BH), lithium borohydride (LiBH 4), and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4). Monodisperse Ge nanocrystals with average sizes ranging from 4.0 to 5.5 nm were produced using a simple room temperature technique. The nanocrystals were capped using allylamine. The nanocrystals displayed strong blue luminescence, and their application as optical probes is demonstrated by the imaging of HepG2 cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanocrystals. The cytotoxicity of the nanocrystals is also reported, and the germanium quantum dots were found to be relatively nontoxic.",

author = "Sujay Prabakar and Amane Shiohara and Sanshiro Hanada and Kouki Fujioka and Kenji Yamamoto and Tilley, {Richard D.}",

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T1 - Size controlled synthesis of germanium nanocrystals by hydride reducing agents and their biological applications

AU - Prabakar, Sujay

AU - Shiohara, Amane

AU - Hanada, Sanshiro

AU - Fujioka, Kouki

AU - Yamamoto, Kenji

AU - Tilley, Richard D.

PY - 2010/1/26

Y1 - 2010/1/26

N2 - Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized by the hydride reduction of germanium tetrachloride (GeCl 4) in inverse micelles using hydride reducing agents including lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH 4), lithium triethyl borohydride (Li(C 2H 5) 3BH), lithium borohydride (LiBH 4), and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4). Monodisperse Ge nanocrystals with average sizes ranging from 4.0 to 5.5 nm were produced using a simple room temperature technique. The nanocrystals were capped using allylamine. The nanocrystals displayed strong blue luminescence, and their application as optical probes is demonstrated by the imaging of HepG2 cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanocrystals. The cytotoxicity of the nanocrystals is also reported, and the germanium quantum dots were found to be relatively nontoxic.

AB - Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized by the hydride reduction of germanium tetrachloride (GeCl 4) in inverse micelles using hydride reducing agents including lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH 4), lithium triethyl borohydride (Li(C 2H 5) 3BH), lithium borohydride (LiBH 4), and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4). Monodisperse Ge nanocrystals with average sizes ranging from 4.0 to 5.5 nm were produced using a simple room temperature technique. The nanocrystals were capped using allylamine. The nanocrystals displayed strong blue luminescence, and their application as optical probes is demonstrated by the imaging of HepG2 cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanocrystals. The cytotoxicity of the nanocrystals is also reported, and the germanium quantum dots were found to be relatively nontoxic.

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