Electrochemically generated fluorescent fullerene[60] nanoparticles as a new and viable bioimaging platform

摘要

Aqueous solutions of fluorescent ultrafine C_(60) nanoparticles have been successfully prepared by an electrochemical method, which involves reducing a C_(60) film to C_(60)~(3-) anions in the presence of tetrabutylammonium (TBA~+) cations in acetonitrile solution and transferring to water. The nanoparticles are highly emissive in the visible region. The structure of the fluorescent C_(60) nanoparticles was deduced as a ~5 nm sphere with a solid core of aggregated C_(60) and an anionic shell of C_(60)~(3-), which renders the nanoparticles water soluble. The photostable and nontoxic C_(60) nanoparticles can easily penetrate into live cells, and are thus primed for a host of biomedical applications.