Mingchong Dai

With the progress of dissimilar dimensional materials, 1D and 2D materials have been extensively investigated as heterogeneous photocatalysts, which realize the unique dimensionality-dependent advantages and mitigate the disadvantages during the environmental and sustainable energy applications. The progress in 1D/2D heterogeneous photocatalysts stems from the combination of different growth modes between 1D and 2D nanostructures and the judicious control to establish the oriented 1D/2D interfac

Organic fluorophores aided by current microscopy imaging modalities are essential for studying biological systems. Recently, red/near-infrared emitting fluorophores have attracted great research efforts, as they enable bioimaging applications with reduced autofluorescence interference and light scattering, two significant obstacles for deep-tissue imaging, as well as reduced photodamage and photobleaching. Herein, we analyzed the current strategies to convert key organic fluorophores bearing xan

Microscopic imaging aided with fluorescent probes has revolutionized our understanding of biological systems. Organic fluorophores and probes thus continue to evolve for bioimaging applications. Fluorophores such as cyanines and hemicyanines emit in the near-infrared (NIR) region and thus allow deeper imaging with minimal autofluorescence; however, they show limited photo- and chemo-stability, demanding new robust NIR fluorophores. Such photo- and chemo-stable NIR fluorophores, linear-shape π-ex

NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), a protective enzyme against cellular oxidative stress, is expressed abnormally high in solid tumors and thus recognized as a cancer biomarker. To develop a fluorescent NQO1 probe with practicality, we investigated benzo-rosol fluorophores linked with a known self-immolative quinone substrate. Four probe candidates exhibited ratiometric sensing behavior toward the enzyme, satisfying our orbital mismatch stratagem proposed before, under dual-excitation and

Photostable and near-infrared (NIR)-emitting organic fluorophores with large Stokes shifts are in great demand for long-term bioimaging at deeper depths with minimal autofluorescence and self-quenching. Herein, a new class of benzorhodamines and their analogues that are photostable and emit in the NIR region (up to 785 nm) with large Stokes shifts (>120 nm) is reported. The synthesis involves condensation of 7-alkylamino-2-naphthols with 2-[4-(dimethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]benzoic acid, which

Liquid‐phase growth strategies have received considerable attention as a promising method for the in situ synthesis of heterostructures owing to their unique advantages such as precise microstructure control, high productivity, low cost, and high stability. In situ liquid‐phase growth methods have been utilized in the synthesis of various graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 )‐based heterogeneous nanostructures to improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs by rapid ch

Abstract Organic fluorophores are essential in microscopic imaging of biological systems. New fluorophores with distinct features are in demand for bioimaging. Herein we report new bent benzocoumarin dyes that are fluorescent both in solution and in the solid state. The latter property enables us to form fluorescent nanoparticles with a mean size of 120–157 nm or larger depending on conditions. Some of the new dyes provide bright fluorescent images in cell, with formation of particulate spots th