White Light Emitting Gadolinium Oxide Nanoclusters for In-vitro Bio-imaging

Fluorescent probes are highly desirable for accurate diagnosis and play a crucial role in the optical imaging modality. Here, ultrafine (1.2 nm) nanoclusters of undoped gadolinium oxide were synthesized via a simple, one-pot technique using water as the reaction medium. Prepared nanoclusters exhibit strong tuneable emission spanning from 400-620 nm (extended visible region) with broad full width at half maximum of (FWHM) similar to 140 nm, resulting in white light emission (WLE). Cytotoxicity studies revealed nearly 100 % cell viability encouraging its application in cell imaging. These nanoclusters possessed distinctive properties such as wide-range pH stability, ionic tolerability, durable photostability, and anomalous colloidal stability (more than 24 months). This brief report uses white light-emitting gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoclusters as an optical probe for in-vitro fluorescence imaging.