Correction: Biocompatible nitrogen-doped carbon dots: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Correction for 'Biocompatible nitrogen-doped carbon dots: synthesis, characterization, and application' by Yoonsang Park et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, DOI: 10.1039/d0tb01334j.

Biocompatible nitrogen-doped carbon dots: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Carbon dots (CDs) are promising materials for biomedical applications owing to their unique properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The current studies on CDs are focused on improving their functionality by modulating their electronic structure, which helps in controlling their chemical, optical, and electrical properties. Doping with heteroatoms is a typical approach for modulating the electronic structure of CDs. In particular, there has been considerable progress in nitrogen-doped CDs for improving their potential for various biomedical applications, including optical imaging, drug delivery, and light-mediated imaging/therapeutic applications such as photoacoustic imaging, photothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy. In this review, the important features of nitrogen-doped CDs are discussed along with the recent studies on these materials and their prospects.

Biocompatible Organosilica Nanoparticles with Self-Encapsulated Phenyl Motifs for Effective UV Protection.

With increasing ozone depletion, ultraviolet (UV) exposure from sunlight has become a significant health risk. Although commercially available sun protectants provide reasonable protection, they have limitations in terms of safety and aesthetics. Here, we have developed biocompatible and biodegradable sunscreens by facile synthesis of organosilica nanoparticles (o-SNPs) with self-encapsulated phenyl motifs using phenylsilane precursors. The physical structure of o-SNPs is elaborately controlled such that they are large enough to reflect UVA but small enough to be imperceptible when applied on the skin. The chemically attached phenyl motifs to o-SNPs facilitate filtering UVB via their delocalized π-orbitals. The o-SNPs generate a negligible amount of reactive oxygen species under UV exposure. Ex vivo two-photon microscopy reveals that the o-SNPs tend to adhere to the outer layers of skin without further intradermal penetration, resulting in less skin irritation. In vivo UV protection tests confirmed the excellent sunscreen effect of o-SNPs compared with conventional organic and inorganic UV filters.

Defect-Induced Fluorescence of Silica Nanoparticles for Bioimaging Applications.

With biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high functionality, silica nanoparticles (SNPs) have been widely investigated for various biomedical applications. However, lack of optical fluorescence has limited the application of SNPs as a degradable imaging agent. Here, we hydrothermally synthesized fluorescent SNPs by artificially generating optically active defect centers using tetraethyl orthosilicate and (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane. The synthesized SNPs demonstrated strong blue photoluminescence originating from the dioxasilyrane (=Si(O2)) and silylene (=Si:) defect centers with the aid of aminopropyl groups. Furthermore, phosphorescence was observed at 459 nm, indicating the presence of silylene in SNPs. Finally, these SNPs have been successfully utilized as a fluorescent probe for bioimaging of normal, cancer, and macrophage cells.