Facile synthesis of pH-responsive gadolinium(III)-doped carbon nanodots with red fluorescence and magnetic resonance properties for dual-readout logic gate operations. (30th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fang, Yaning; Zhou, Lefei; Zhao, Junkai; Zhang, Yali; Yang, Mo; Yi, Changqing
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 166(2020)
• Page Start: 265
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2020-09-30
• Subjects: Logic gates -- Intracellular imaging -- pH sensing -- Red fluorescence -- T1-weighted image; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.05.060
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: The great challenge still exists in the synthesis of red-emissive carbon nanodots (C-dots) and the development of molecular logic devices with better operation stability for biological applications. In this study, gadolinium (III)-doped C-dots are synthesized by a new solvothermal approach using citric acid, urea and GdCl3 as precursors. The as-prepared Gd 3+ -doped C-dots exhibit bright red fluorescence (FL) centered at 620 nm in an excitation wavelength-independent manner, and a high T1 relaxivity (∼16.0 mM −1 s −1 ). More excitingly, the Gd 3+ -doped C-dots exhibit a pH-dependent response in not only FL behaviour but also magnetic resonance (MR) signal. When triggered by H +, OH −, or Cu 2+, the Gd 3+ -doped C-dots can behave as a switch for FL emission and MR signal, leading to dual-readout and multi-addressable logic systems. Therefore, by employing the Gd 3+ -doped C-dots as logic gate with varying the chemical inputs, FL/MR dual-readout logic operations including IMP and NOR have been successfully demonstrated not only in all-aqueous media but also within the living HeLa cells. Together with the good biocompatibility and cell-permeability, the Gd 3+ -doped C-dots hold great potentials for real-time monitoring pH changes both in solution and biological cells, and even future evaluating cellular states via in-cell biocomputation. Graphical abstract: Image 1