Unilamellar vesicles from amphiphilic graphene quantum dots

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted considerable interest due to their unique physicochemical properties and various applications. For the first time it is shown that GQDs surface-functionalized with hydrocarbon chains (i.e., amphiphilic GQDs) self-assemble into unilamellar spherical vesicles in aqueous solution. The amphiphilic GQD vesicles exhibit multicolor luminescence that can be readily exploited for membrane studies by fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. The GQD vesicles were used for microscopic analysis of membrane interactions and disruption by the peptide beta-amyloid.