Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 4, 773 - 780 (2009)
Published online: 11 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2009.294
Subject Categories: Electronic properties and devices | Nanomaterials | Organic-inorganic nanostructures
A route to brightly fluorescent carbon nanotubes for near-infrared imaging in mice
Kevin Welsher1, Zhuang Liu1,2, Sarah P. Sherlock1, Joshua Tucker Robinson1, Zhuo Chen1, Dan Daranciang1 & Hongjie Dai1
Abstract
The near-infrared photoluminescence intrinsic to semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes is ideal for biological imaging owing to the low autofluorescence and deep tissue penetration in the near-infrared region beyond 1 
m. However, biocompatible single-walled carbon nanotubes with high quantum yield have been elusive. Here, we show that sonicating single-walled carbon nanotubes with sodium cholate, followed by surfactant exchange to form phospholipid–polyethylene glycol coated nanotubes, produces in vivo imaging agents that are both bright and biocompatible. The exchange procedure is better than directly sonicating the tubes with the phospholipid–polyethylene glycol, because it results in less damage to the nanotubes and improves the quantum yield. We show whole-animal in vivo imaging using an InGaAs camera in the 1–1.7 m spectral range by detecting the intrinsic near-infrared photoluminescence of the 'exchange' single-walled carbon nanotubes at a low dose (17 mg l-1 injected dose). The deep tissue penetration and low autofluorescence background allowed high-resolution intravital microscopy imaging of tumour vessels beneath thick skin.
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
- Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) Laboratory, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
Correspondence to: Hongjie Dai1 e-mail: hdai@stanford.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Bioimaging Second window for in vivo imagingNature Nanotechnology News and Views (01 Nov 2009)
RESEARCH
Multimodal optical sensing and analyte specificity using single-walled carbon nanotubesNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Feb 2009)
A pilot toxicology study of single-walled carbon nanotubes in a small sample of miceNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Apr 2008)
Chiral selectivity in the charge-transfer bleaching of single-walled carbon-nanotube spectraNature Materials Article (01 May 2005)
See all 24 matches for Research
