AIEgens functionalized gadolinium-based aminoclay as dual-modal probes for fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging

Facile one-pot synthesis of fluorescent aminoclay and the applications for fluorescence sensing Cr2 O7 2

Here, we developed a facile one-pot strategy for the fabrication of fluorescent aminoclay (F-AC) through in situ solvothermal treatment of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, MgCl2 , and sodium ascorbate at 180°C for 6 h. The obtained F-AC exhibited blue emission, good water solubility, and satisfactory photostability. It was observed that Cr2 O7 2- could selectively quench the fluorescence of F-AC through the inner filter effect and static quenching process. As a result, a novel fluorescent F-AC-based nanosensor was constructed with good linearity in the range 0.1-75 μM. The nanosensor was successfully applied in real water samples with satisfactory results. This work not only provides a novel nanosensor for Cr2 O7 2- , but also highlights the F-AC's promising applications in wider fields due to the versatility and simplicity of the preparation strategy.

Fabrication of claviform fluorescent polymeric nanomaterials containing disulfide bond through an efficient and facile four-component Ugi reaction

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) have attracted broad interest for preparation of functional nanomaterials especially for the synthesis of functional polymers. Herein, we utilized an "old" MCR, the four-component Ugi reaction, to synthesize disulfide bond containing poly(PEG-TPE-DTDPA) amphiphilic copolymers with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature. This four-component Ugi reaction was carried out under rather mild reaction conditions, such as room temperature, no gas protection and absent of catalysts. The amphiphilic poly(PEG-TPE-DTDPA) copolymers with high number-average molecular weight (up to 86,440 Da) can self-assemble into claviform fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) in aqueous solution, and these water-dispersed nanoparticles exhibited strong emission, large Stokes shift (142 nm), low toxicity and remarkable ability in cellular imaging. Moreover, owing to the introduction of 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid with disulfide bond, the resultant AIE-active poly(PEG-TPE-DTDPA) could display reduction-responsiveness and be utilized for synthesis of photothermal agents in-situ. Therefore, the AIE-active poly(PEG-TPE-DTDPA) could be promising for controlled intracellular delivery of biological activity molecules and fabrication of multifunctional AIE-active materials. Therefore, these novel AIE-active polymeric nanoparticles could be of great potential for various biomedical applications, such as biological imaging, stimuli-responsive drug delivery and theranostic applications.

A new approach to developing diagnostics and therapeutics: Aggregation-induced emission-based fluorescence turn-on

Fluorescence imaging is a promising visualization tool and possesses the advantages of in situ response and facile operation; thus, it is widely exploited for bioassays. However, traditional fluorophores suffer from concentration limits because they are always quenched when they aggregate, which impedes applications, especially for trace analysis and real-time monitoring. Recently, novel molecules with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics were developed to solve the problems encountered when using traditional organic dyes, because these new molecules exhibit weak or even no fluorescence when they are in free movement states but emit intensely upon the restriction of intramolecular motions. Inspired by the excellent performances of AIE molecules, a substantial number of AIE-based probes have been designed, synthesized, and applied to various fields to fulfill diverse detection tasks. According to numerous experiments, AIE probes are more practical than traditional fluorescent probes, especially when used in bioassays. To bridge bioimaging and materials engineering, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the development of AIE bioprobes. It begins with a summary of mechanisms of the AIE phenomenon. Then, the strategies to realize accurate detection using AIE probes are discussed. In addition, typical examples of AIE-active materials applied in diagnosis, treatment, and nanocarrier tracking are presented. In addition, some challenges are put forward to inspire more ideas in the promising field of AIE-active materials.

AIEgen functionalized inorganic–organic hybrid nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and therapy

AIEgen functionalized inorganic–organic hybrid nanomaterials with multifunctions can be used for cancer diagnosis and imaging-guided synergistic therapy.