We demonstrate a simple and efficient biosynthesis method to prepare easily harvested biocompatible cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) with tunable fluorescence emission using yeast cells. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirm that the CdTe QDs are formed via an extracellular growth and subsequent endocytosis pathway and have size-tunable optical properties with fluorescence emission from 490 to 560 nm and a cubic zinc blende structure with good crystallinity. In particular, the CdTe QDs with uniform size (2-3.6 nm) are protein-capped, which makes them highly soluble in water, and in situ bio-imaging in yeast cells indicates that the biosynthesized QDs have good biocompatibility. This work provides an economic and environmentally friendly approach to synthesize highly fluorescent biocompatible CdTe QDs for bio-imaging and bio-labeling applications.

In this applications article (116 references), the use and viability of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for natural gas storage is critically examined through an overview of the current state of the field. These smart materials can be tuned to deliver best performance according to demand, as a function of temperature, desired storage pressure and mandated fill/release rates. Whilst the chemistry behind optimising natural gas storage performance in MOFs is highlighted, it is contextualised to the specific application in vehicular transport, and the best means of testing performance parameters are canvassed. Future applications of MOFs with natural gas are also discussed.