CdS Nanoparticles as Efficient Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Donors for Various Organic Dyes in an Aqueous Solution

CdS nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized in an aqueous phase in order to investigate their spectral behaviors as efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) donors for various organic dye acceptors. Our prepared CdS NPs exhibiting strong and broad emission spectra between 480-520 nm were able to transfer energy in a wide wavelength region from green to red fluorescence dyes. Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G), rhodamine B (RhB), and sulforhodamine 101 acid (Texas red) were tested as acceptors of the energy transfer from the CdS NPs. The three dyes and synthesized CdS NPs exhibited good FRET behaviors as acceptors and donors, respectively. Energy transfers from the CdS NPs and organic Cy3 dye were compared to the same acceptor Texas red dye at different concentrations. Our prepared CdS NPs appeared to exhibit better FRET behaviors comparable to those of the Cy3 dye. These CdS NPs in an aqueous solution may be efficient FRET donors for various organic dyes in a wide wavelength range between green and red colors.