Organic fluorescent nanoparticles using fluorophores synthesized from low-temperature calcination process

Organic fluorescent nanoparticles have attracted increasing interests in various fields including sensing, imaging and therapy, owing to their excellent optical properties and biocompatibility. However, the chemical synthesis of organic fluorophores is always a complicated, tedious and time-consuming process. Herein, we fabricated fluorophores through one-step calcination at relatively low temperature (370 degrees C), which possessed satisfying fluorescence quantum yield of about 30 % and good solubility in organic solvent. Using these emissive material without special purification procedure, organic fluorescent nanoparticles were obtained through a facile reprecipitation method in the presence of Saponin, a naturally amphiphilic surfactant. The obtained fluorescent nanoparticle was demonstrated to possess low toxicity and good cell permeabilization behavior, as well as an excellent performance on cellular imaging. Overall, we provide a facile and low-cost way to prepare the organic fluorescent nanoparticle, which might be a promising candidate for various chemical and biological applications.