A novel fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were synthesized from polyacrylamide for fast cellular endocytosis. Fluorescent CNPs with different core size (5~50 nm) were synthesized in one step by hydrothermal treatment of polyacrylamide. Polyacrylamide, which was abundant of amide group, was chosen as carbon resource to prepare self-passivated photoluminescent CNPs in one step. The introduction of amide group on the carbon dots increased the luminescence efficiency, which was significant for the cellular imaging.The size effect of the carbon nanoparticles on the cellular endocytosis were investigated. The results showed the existence of size effect of CNPs, which might direct a better design of carbon nanoparticle in the future experiments.It showed CNPs were fast endocytosis into the LnCaP cells. The CNPs had a marked size effect on cellular imaging and the optimal size was about 10~30 nm.Although the fluorescent carbon nanoparticles had been widely applied for cellular imaging, all the materials developed needed a long incubation time, typically 24 hours, to give a measurable fluorescent imaging. Our carbon nanoparticles had a quick cellular endocytosis, which shorten the incubation time into one hour. The improvement incubation time will minimize the interrupt the loading of nanomaterials on the cellular activity. 

Synthesis of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles from polyacrylamide for fast cellular endocytosis

246th National Meeting (2013)

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