Polylysine crosslinked AIE dye based fluorescent organic nanoparticles for biological imaging applications

Fluorescent organic nanoparticles based on aggregation induced emission dyes are fabricated through a ring-opening reaction using polylysine as the linker. The fluorescent organic nanoparticles obtained are characterized by a series of techniques including UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. A biocompatibility evaluation and the cell uptake behavior of the fluorescent organic nanoparticles are further investigated to evaluate their potential biomedical applications. It is demonstrated that these fluorescent organic nanoparticles can be obtained at room temperature in an air atmosphere without the need for catalyst or initiator. Furthermore, these crosslinked aggregation induced emission dye based fluorescent organic nanoparticles show uniform morphology, strong red fluorescence, high water dispersability, and excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications.