Size Controlled Synthesis of Germanium Nanocrystals by Hydride Reducing Agents and Their Biological Applications

Germanium nanocrystals were synthesized by the hydride reduction of germanium tetrachloride (GeCl4) ill inverse micelles using hydride reducing agents including lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4), lithium triethyl borohydride (Li(C2H5)(3)BH), lithium borohydride (LiBH4), and sodium borohydride(NaBH4). Monodisperse Ge nanocrystals with average sizes ranging Front 4.0 to 5.5 nm were produced using it simple room temperature technique. The nanocrystals were capped using allylamine. The nanocrystals displayed strong blue luminescence, and their application Lis optical probes is demonstrated by the imaging of HepG2 cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the nanocrystals. The cytotoxicity of the nanocrystals is also reported, kind the germanium quantum dots were found to be relatively nontoxic.