Investigation of complexes of CdTe quantum dots with the AlOH-sulphophthalocyanine molecules in aqueous media

The interaction between negatively charged CdTe quantum dots and AlOH-sulphophthalocyanine molecules in blood plasma and in aqueous solutions with different pH levels has been investigated. Similarly charged quantum dots and molecules are found to form complexes that exhibit an effective energy transfer. The efficiency of the energy transfer in these complexes is close to the theoretical FRET efficiency for a given donor-acceptor pair. It has been shown that in blood plasma, as well as in aqueous solutions, the formation of complexes of quantum dots with AlOH-sulphophthalocyanine molecules without using their charged groups allows preserving the photophysical properties of phthalocyanine molecules. A theoretical model of the formation of complexes between similarly charged quantum dots and molecules is proposed. © 2013 American Chemical Society.