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Synthesis of magnetic quantum dots

Final Activity Report Summary - MDOT (Synthesis of magnetic quantum dots)

We have prepared quantum dots emitting in the visible region in a simple aqueous route with bifunctional or multifunctional water soluble coating molecules. Small molecules such as mercaptoacetic acid, mercaptopropionic acid and L-cysteine as well as polyacrylic acid were utilised to coat the nanocrystal surface and tailor material properties. For all these coating systems reaction variables were studied to optimize the luminescence and tailor the luminescing colour.

Such aqueous colloidal quantum dots were adopted as coating materials for superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles during its synthesis to produce hybrid magnetic luminescent nanoparticles (MDOTs). Unique feature of the presented work is the all aqueous synthesis method and one pot synthesis of hybrid MDOTs. Besides an alternative simple extraction / ligand exchange approach was developed to create MDOTs from preformed quantum dots and superparamagnetic iron oxide. Also, cytotoxicity of many of the particles was determined.