Nanocrystals

• US 20030059635A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Invitrogen Corp. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Naasani, Imad
• Granted Patent: US 6,955,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/473.5
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/588 with semiconductor nanocrystal label, e.g. quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2993 Silicic or refractory material containing [e.g., tungsten oxide, glass, cement, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31721 Of polyimide

Abstract

Provided herein are compositions of functionalized, fluorescent nanocrystals comprising fluorescent nanocrystals coated with an imidazole-containing compound; compositions of functionalized, fluorescent nanocrystals comprising fluorescent nanocrystals coated with an imidazole-containing compound and cross-linked with a phosphine cross-linking compound; compositions of functionalized fluorescent nanocrystals operably bound to molecular probe; a process of making functionalized, fluorescent nanocrystals; and a process of using functionalized, fluorescent nanocrystals in a detection system.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a fluorescent nanocrystal; and

a coating over said fluorescent nanocrystal, wherein said coating comprises an imidazole-containing compound operably bound to a metal cation.

2. The detection system of claim 1, wherein said metal cation is operably bound to a sulfur containing compound.

3. The detection system of claim 1, wherein said metal cation comprises semiconductor material.

4. The detection system of claim 1, further comprising a molecular probe, one or more molecules of which are operably bound to the coated fluorescent nanocrystal.

5. The detection system of claim 1, wherein said fluorescent nanocrystal is selected from the group of core semiconductor nanocrystals, core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals, doped metal oxide nanocrystals, and combinations thereof.

6. The detection system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an excitation source suitable to elicit fluorescence from the coated fluorescent nanocrystal.

7. The detection system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cross-linking agent.

8. The detection system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of an amino-reactive agent, carboxyl-reactive agent, and a combination including amino-reactive and carboxyl-reactive agents.

9. The detection system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said cross-linking agent comprises a phosphine cross-linking compound.

10. A nanocrystal comprising:

a fluorescent nanocrystal; and

a coating over said fluorescent nanocrystal, wherein said coating comprises an imidazole-containing compound and cross-linking agent.

11. A nanocrystal as set forth in claim 10, wherein said imidazole-containing compound and cross-linking agent are operably bound to a metal cation.

12. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 10, wherein said cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of an amino-reactive agent, carboxyl-reactive agent, and a combination including amino-reactive and carboxyl-reactive agents.

13. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 10, wherein said cross-linking agent comprises a phosphine cross-linking compound.

14. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said metal cation is operably bound to a sulfur containing compound.

15. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said metal cation comprises semiconductor material.

16. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a molecular probe operably bound to the coated fluorescent nanocrystal.

17. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 10, wherein the fluorescent nanocrystal is selected from the group of core semiconductor nanocrystals, core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals, doped metal oxide nanocrystals, and combinations thereof.

18. The nanocrystal as set forth in claim 10, further comprising an excitation source suitable to elicit fluorescent intensity from the coated fluorescent nanocrystal.

19. A process of making coated nanocrystals comprising:

contacting a solution comprising imidazole-containing compound with a substance comprising a metal cation to produce a mixture comprising complexes comprised of imidazole containing compound operably bound to metal cation;

contacting said mixture with fluorescent nanocrystals to form a coating over the fluorescent nanocrystals.

20. The process as set forth in claim 19, wherein said metal cation is operably bound to a sulfur containing compound.

21. The process as set forth in claim 19, wherein said metal cation comprises semiconductor material.

22. The process as set forth in claim 19, further comprising operably binding the coated fluorescent nanocrystal a molecular probe.

23. The process as set forth in claim 19, wherein the fluorescent nanocrystal is selected from the group of core semiconductor nanocrystals, core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals, doped metal oxide nanocrystals, and combinations thereof.

24. A process of making coated nanocrystals comprising:

contacting a solution comprising imidazole-containing compound and a cross-linking agent with a substance comprising a metal cation;

contacting said mixture with fluorescent nanocrystals to form a coating over the fluorescent nanocrystals.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein the contacting of imidazole and cross-linking agent with a cation produces a mixture comprising complexes comprised of imidazole containing compound operably bound to metal cation.

26. The process of claim 24, wherein said cross-linking agent comprises a phosphine cross-linking compound.

27. The process of claim 24, wherein said cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of an amino-reactive agent, carboxyl-reactive agent, or a combination of amino-reactive and carboxyl-reactive agents.

28. The process of claim 24, wherein said metal cation is operably bound to a sulfur containing compound.

29. The process of claim 24, wherein said metal cation comprises semiconductor material.

30. The process of claim 24, further comprising operably binding the coated fluorescent nanocrystal to one or more molecules of a molecular probe.

31. The process of claim 24, wherein the fluorescent nanocrystal is selected from the group of core semiconductor nanocrystals, core/shell semiconductor nanocrystals, doped metal oxide nanocrystals, and combinations thereof.