Silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) display photoluminescence due to quantum size effects. The advantage of these particles over conventional dyes and quantum dots is the high quantum yield and the absence of toxic elements. Si NPs were synthesized by the oxidation of Mg2Si using Br2 , in which the resulting bromine-terminated Si NPs were capped using either an alkyllithium reagent or Grignard reagent. This yielded Si NPs with e.g. a butyl or butylene termination, with a Si core size of 2.2 � 0.4 nm as measured with TEM. The fluorescence excitation maximum of these Si NPs is around 420 nm with a fluorescence emission around 480 nm. These butylene-terminated Si NPs were successfully functionalized using thiol-ene chemistry and are therefore the ideal basis for further bioconjugation. The resulting Si NPs were characterized using NMR and IR which confirmed the structure of the organic capping and functionalization of the Si NPs.

Silicon nanoparticles: Synthesis, photophysics and functionalization using thiol-ene chemistry

239th National Meeting (2010)

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