Mn, B, N co-doped graphene quantum dots for fluorescence sensing and biological imaging

The fluorescent and quantum yield (QY) of graphene quantum dots has been improved in recent years by doped atoms, which have good application prospects in fluorescence sensors and biological imaging. Here, a one-step hydrothermal synthesis method was used to synthesize manganese ions bonded with boron and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (Mn-BN-GQDs). Compared with the boron and nitrogen co-doping graphene quantum dots (BN-GQDs), the fluorescence properties and quantum yield of Mn-BN-GQDs are significantly improved. Meanwhile, Mn-BN-GQDs exhibit low toxicity and good fluorescence imaging in living cells and has high selectivity to Fe3+ ions. Therefore, this experiment design Mn-BN-GQDs as a fluorescence sensor to detect Fe3+ ions, providing strong evidence for the advanced high sensitivity, selectivity and wide detection range of the Mn-BN-GQDs as a fluorescence sensor. These results indicate a dual linear relationship with good linear relationships in the 10-100 lM and 100-800 lM ranges, and limit of detection are 0.78 lM and 9.08 lM, respectively. Cellular imaging results demonstrate that Mn-BN-GQDs can be used as fluorescence sensors in biological imaging. Mn-BN-GQDs can be used for fluorescence sensing in biological imaging in combination with low toxicity, QY and quantum dot lifetime.(c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

In recent years, the fluorescence and quantum yield of graphene quantum dots have been significantly improved through doping atoms, which shows promising applications in fluorescence sensors and biological imaging. In this study, manganese ions bonded with boron and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (Mn-BN-GQDs) were synthesized using a one-step hydrothermal synthesis method. Compared with boron and nitrogen co-doping graphene quantum dots (BN-GQDs), Mn-BN-GQDs exhibit improved fluorescence properties and quantum yield. Moreover, Mn-BN-GQDs show low toxicity, good fluorescence imaging in living cells, and high selectivity to Fe3+ ions. Therefore, Mn-BN-GQDs are designed as fluorescence sensors to detect Fe3+ ions, providing strong evidence for their advanced high sensitivity, selectivity, and wide detection range.