Article pubs.acs.org/cm
PEOlated Micelle/Silica as Dual-Layer Protection of Quantum Dots for Stable and Targeted Bioimaging Yu Zhang,† Miao Wang,‡ Yuan-gang Zheng,§ Happy Tan,∥ Benedict You-wei Hsu,† Zheng-chun Yang,† Siew Yee Wong,§ Alex Yuang-chi Chang,‡ Mahesh Choolani,⊥ Xu Li,§,* and John Wang*,† †
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117576 Singapore Johns Hopkins Singapore International Medical Center, 308433 Singapore § Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 117602 Singapore ∥ NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, Centre for Life Sciences, 117456 Singapore ⊥ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119074 Singapore ‡
S Supporting Information *
ABSTRACT: CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully encapsulated into poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymeric micelle/silica dual layers via interfacial templating condensation. The encapsulation follows a green and straightforward microemulsion mechanism that directly proceeds in a nearneutral pH aqueous environment. No detriment to the optical properties of QDs is observed during encapsulation. The core− shell nanoparticles generated possess a polymeric micelle framework with a single QD encapsulated in the hydrophobic micellar core, an ultrathin (
