Behavior of fluorescent molecules bound to the interior of silica nanocapsules in various solvents

Porous silica nanocapsules with 20% 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APS)-bound 6-carboxy-fluorescein (APS-fluorescein) and 80% APS molecules adsorbed on the surface of a 50-nm-diameter Au core were prepared by a modified core–shell method. Silica mesoporous nanocapsules were obtained after the Au cores were dissolved in sodium cyanide. The size of the pores in the silica shells corresponded to the area of the fluorescein (approximately 1.02 nm2) in each APS-fluorescein molecule, which was bound to the silica shell by coupling between the silanol groups of APS in the APS-fluorescein molecule and the silica shell. The amino group of APS bound to the silica inside the shell is also reactive. Dy485XL N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS) molecules were then added to the mesoporous silica nanocapsules in the solution and bonded to the amino group of the interior. Thus, mesoporous (fluorescein and Dy485XL)-bound silica nanocapsules were obtained. The fluorescence of Dy485XL was only observed in the mesoporous (fluorescein and Dy485XL)-bound silica nanocapsules in aqueous solution after ultrafiltration. However, the fluorescence of fluorescein reappeared after the addition of acetonitrile. Furthermore, upon adding various solvents to the mesoporous (fluorescein and Dy485XL)-bound silica nanocapsules, their fluorescence varied with that of fluorescein or Dy485XL. In the case of a mixture of 6-carboxy-fluorescein-N-hydroxysuccinimide (FLUOS) and Dy485XL-NHS free molecules in aqueous solution, the fluorescence of FLUOS was observed. Such different fluorescence phenomena demonstrated that Dy485XL-NHS molecules can easily penetrate into the nanocapsule interior via the pores and that the interior of the silica nanocapsules can bind to Dy485XL molecules. These fluorescence behaviors are discussed in terms of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and solvatochromism.

Graphical abstractPreparation of fluorescent molecules (FLUOS and Dy485XL) bound to the interior of silica nanocapsules and behavior of their fluorescence in various solvents was investigated.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide