Zero-dimensional black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) have unique structural characteristics and excellent properties for promising applications over other BP structures. With the decrease of BP stacked layers, BP becomes much unstable and is easy to be oxidized and degraded in air and water. To prevent BP oxidation and degradation is crucial during the preparation process of highly stable BPQDs with strong fluorescence (FL). Herein, we explored a zinc-ion-coordinated strategy to achieve the emerging Zn@BPQDs with improved colloidal and FL stabilities. Zn ions can be adsorbed on BP surface via cation-π interactions, which passivates lone pair electrons of phosphorus and makes BP much stable upon exposure to air and water. Zn@BPQDs were prepared through sonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation of bulk BP crystals in the presence of Zn ions and solvothermal reaction of exfoliated few-layer Zn@BP nanosheets. Experimental results confirm the preparation of Zn@BPQDs with improved stability and high FL. Zn@BPQDs were used for both FL spectral detection and naked-eye visual FL detection of glutathione in practical samples. As emerging FL reagents, biocompatible Zn@BPQDs were further used for efficient in-vitro cell imaging and in-vivo imaging in natural plants and living aquatic animals.

零维黑磷量子点（BPQD）具有独特的结构特征和优异的性能，有望在其他BP结构上得到广泛应用。随着BP堆积层的减少，BP变得非常不稳定并且在空气和水中容易被氧化和降解。在制备具有强荧光（FL）的高度稳定的BPQD的过程中，防止BP氧化和降解至关重要。在本文中，我们探索了锌离子协同策略，以实现具有改善的胶体和FL稳定性的新兴Zn @ BPQD。Zn离子可吸附在表面BP经由阳离子-π相互作用，钝化磷的孤对电子，并使BP在暴露于​​空气和水中时非常稳定。Zn @ BPQDs是在锌离子存在下，通过超声辅助液相剥离块状BP晶体，并经剥离的几层Zn @ BP纳米片进行溶剂热反应而制备的。实验结果证实了制备的Zn @ BPQDs具有改善的稳定性和高FL。Zn @ BPQDs用于实际样品中谷胱甘肽的荧光光谱检测和肉眼可见的谷胱甘肽荧光检测。作为新兴的FL试剂，生物相容性Zn @ BPQD被进一步用于天然植物和活水生动物的高效体外细胞成像和体内成像。