Highly luminescent CuInS2–ZnS nanocrystals: achieving phase transfer and nuclear homing property simultaneously through simple TTAB modification

Monodisperse CuInS2–ZnS nanocrystals were synthesized in organic solvents and effectively transferred to aqueous phase with the aid of trimethyl(tetradecyl)ammonium bromide (TTAB). TTAB-stabilized CuInS2–ZnS (CIS–ZnS–TTAB) nanocomposites exhibited good aqueous stability and preserved the high luminescence of the nanocrystals after phase transfer. More intriguingly, without any further modification, CIS–ZnS–TTAB showed a striking nuclear homing property, preferentially accumulating in the nuclei of living cells. This novel probe CIS–ZnS–TTAB may have applications in nuclear selective imaging and as a multifunctional drug carrier for nuclear targeted drug delivery. Our work provides a simple but effective way for hydrophobic nanomaterials to achieve both phase transfer and nuclear selectivity simultaneously.