Synthesis and characterization of fluorescent chitosan-ZnO hybrid nanospheres

Graphical abstract: Hybrid hollow nanospheres of chitosan-ZnO (CS-ZnO Nps) with fluorescence were successfully prepared by the in situ growing of ZnO quantum dots (QDs) in an aqueous solution consisting of a cationic polymer CS and an anionic monomer acrylic acid (AA), followed by the polymerization of AA and selectively crosslinking of CS with glutaraldehyde. ZnO QDs were dispersed evenly in the shell of hybrid nanospheres, with its dimension less than 5 nm. These fluorescent CS-ZnO Nps were expected to be simultaneously used as biological fluorescent labeling and carrier for guest materials. - Abstract: Hybrid hollow nanospheres of chitosan-ZnO (CS-ZnO Nps) were successfully prepared by the in situ growing of ZnO quantum dots (QDs) in an aqueous solution consisting of a cationic polymer CS and an anionic monomer acrylic acid (AA), followed by the polymerization of AA and selectively crosslinking of CS with glutaraldehyde. The as-prepared nanospheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectrometer (UV) and fluorescence spectrophotometer (PL). ZnO QDs were dispersed evenly in the shell of hybrid nanospheres, with its dimension less than 5 nm. These fluorescent CS-ZnO Nps were expected to be simultaneously used as biological fluorescent labeling and a carrier for guest materials.