Enzyme-Encapsulating Quantum Dot Hydrogels and Xerogels as Biosensors: Multifunctional Platforms for Both Biocatalysis and Fluorescent Probing

摘要

Quantum dots (QDs) have gained great interest in both fundamental research and technical applications owing to their unique size-dependent physical and electronic properties. The development and the evolution in QD synthesis play a critical role in the progress of QD applications such as biological imaging, photovoltaic and light-emitting devices, and optical sensors. However, many applications and devices are based on nanoparticle assemblies in the solid state instead of nanoparticles in solutions; as a result, nanoparticle assembly is a necessary step in the utilization of nanomaterials. The assembly of QDs as building blocks into functional architectures and the applications of these architectures have been amongst the priorities of QD research.