Bifunctional carbon dots—magnetic and fluorescent hybrid nanoparticles for diagnostic applications

There is a huge demand for materials capable of simple detection or separation after conjugation with specific biologic substances when applied as a diagnostic tools. Taking into account the photoluminescence properties of C-dots and the highly magnetic properties of Fe(0), a new hybrid composite of these components was synthesized via ultrasound irradiation. The material was fully characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The main goal of the current study was to obtain a highly magnetic and intense fluorescent hybrid material. The goal was achieved. In addition, magnetic particles tended to agglomerate. The new hybrid can be suspended in ethanol, which is an additional feature of the current research. The dispersion of the hybrid nanoparticles in ethanol was achieved by utilizing the interaction of iron particles with C-dots which were decorated with functional groups on their surface. The newly formed hybrid material has potential applications in diagnostic by conjugating with specific antibodies or with any other biologic compounds. Such application may be useful in detection of various diseases such as: cancer, tuberculosis, etc.