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Proteins can template the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of size-confined nanocrystals. However, protein-templated mineralization often leads to particles that exhibit low colloidal stability, poor crystal quality, and/or diminished photoluminescence. Here, we report protein cage–spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) that can be used as nanoreactors for quantum dot (QD) synthesis and subsequent intracellular delivery. The resulting QD-SNA structures are monodisperse, colloidally stable, and photoluminescent in aqueous solution. The nanoreactors were prepared using two different proteins (~10 and 12 nanometers in diameter), and CdS, CdSe, and PbSe nanocrystals were synthesized. Moreover, the extent of surface defects and crystallinity depends on the relative concentrations of ionic precursors, which control the growth rate and the number of ionic vacancies. By optimizing conditions, CdS-SNAs that exhibit near-zero reabsorption loss were synthesized. Last, QD-SNAs exhibit enhanced cellular uptake and minimal cytotoxicity when compared to commercial QD-protein conjugates, making them potentially useful in bioimaging and diagnostic applications. 

Lead-free perovskites and their analogues have been extensively studied as a class of next-generation luminescent and optoelectronic materials. Herein, we report the synthesis of new colloidal Cs 4 M( ii )Bi 2 Cl 12 (M( ii ) = Cd, Mn) nanocrystals (NCs) with unique luminescence properties. The obtained Cs 4 M( ii )Bi 2 Cl 12 NCs show a layered double perovskite (LDP) crystal structure with good particle stability. Density functional theory calculations show that both samples exhibit a wide, direct bandgap feature. Remarkably, the strong Mn–Mn coupling effect of the Cs 4 M( ii )Bi 2 Cl 12 NCs results in an ultra-short Mn photoluminescence (PL) decay lifetime of around 10 μs, around two orders of magnitude faster than commonly observed Mn 2+ dopant emission in NCs. Diluting the Mn 2+ ion concentration through forming Cs 4 (Cd 1−x Mn x )Bi 2 Cl 12 (0 < x < 1) alloyed LDP NCs leads to prolonged PL lifetimes and enhanced PL quantum yields. Our study provides the first synthetic example of Bi-based LDP colloidal NCs with potential for serving as a new category of stable lead-free perovskite-type materials for various applications.