Ultrasmall Silicon Nanoparticles for Imaging and Killing Microorganisms: A Minireview

Abstract

Fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs), a type of ultrasmall zero‐dimensional metal‐free silicon‐containing nanomaterials, are featured by excellent biocompatibility, good photoluminescence stability, and easy surface modification property. SiNPs have been widely applied in bioimaging, photoelectric devices, sensing, cancer therapies, and anti‐counterfeiting. In this minireview, the recent advancements of SiNPs in imaging and killing microorganisms (i. e., bacteria, bacterial spores, and fungi) and bacterial biofilms are summarized. Moreover, the synthesis and modification of these SiNPs are mentioned. Finally, concise summary and outlook related to the review topic are provided, and the future challenges are briefly discussed.

Carbon Dots for Intracellular Sensing

“…Until now, different kinds of fluorescent nanomaterials have been developed such as carbon dots (CDs), [ 1–4 ] silicon nanoparticles (NPs), [ 5–13 ] semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), [ 14–18 ] polymer dots, [ 19–21 ] dye‐doped NPs, [ 19,22 ] and upconversion NPs. [ 23,24 ] Among them, CDs are considered as suitable fluorescent bioprobes due to their properties like good biosafety, facile preparation and modification, fascinating photoluminescence (PL), and excellent aqueous dispersity.…”

Sulfur-Doped Organosilica Nanodots as a Universal Sensor for Ultrafast Live/Dead Cell Discrimination

“…Fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs), with satisfactory biocompatibility, outstanding photoluminescence stability, and convenient surface modification property [ 39 ], have been extensively applied in organic solar cells [ 40 ], antibacterial application [ 41 , 42 ], drug delivery [ 43 ], cancer therapy [ 44 , 45 ], sensing [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], and bioimaging [ 3 , 52 , 53 , 54 ]. Organosilica nanodots (OSiNDs) are one typical type of SiNPs prepared from organic silane molecules.…”