University of Arkansas

University of New Orleans Research and Technology Foundation, Inc.

Yongfen Chen

Xiaogang Peng

Nikhil R Jana

Arun Narayanaswamy

Zeev Rosenzweig

Desheng Wang

Negatively charged luminescent CdSe&#x2014;ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were successfully incorporated into novel luminescent glyconanospheres averaging around 190 nm in diameter through electrostatic interactions with carboxymethyldextran (CM-dextran) and polylysine. The glyconanospheres preferably contain as well carboxyl-modified iron oxide nanocrystals. In addition to electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged dextran, the negatively charged CdSe&#x2014;ZnS QDs (and negatively charged iron oxide nanocrystals, if present), and the positively charged polylysine, covalent amide bonds were introduced to cross link the QDs (and negatively charged iron oxide nanocrystals, if present) with the polysaccharide matrix to further stabilize the glyconanospheres. The dextran residues on the surface of the nanospheres show high affinity toward the glucose binding protein-Concanavalin A (Con A). As a result, these luminescent CdSe&#x2014;ZnS QD incorporated glyconanospheres are a useful tool for studying carbohydrate-protein interactions that are critical steps in bacterial and viral infection.

Synthesis of nanoassemblies containing luminescent quantum dots and magnetic nanoparticles

A general, reproducible, and simple synthetic method that employs readily available chemicals permits control of the size, shape, and size distribution of metal oxide nanocrystals. The synthesis entails reacting a metal fatty acid salt, the corresponding fatty acid, and a hydrocarbon solvent, with the reaction product being pyrolyzed to the metal oxide. Nearly monodisperse oxide nanocrystals of FeO, CrO, MnO, CoO, NiO, ZnO, SnO, and InO, in a large size range (3-50 nm), are described. Size and shape control of the nanocrystals is achieved by varying the reactivity and concentration of the precursors.

Synthetic control of metal oxide nanocrystal sizes and shapes

Growing community of inventors

Fayetteville, AR, United States of America

Yongfen Chen