A novel and simple method to prepare well dispersed single-walled carbon nanotubes with strong visible fluorescence in water is reported. The visible fluorescence was found to be responsive to pH value and metal ions, and tunable emission ability of oxidized SWCNTs depending on the excitation wavelength and a novel self-excitation and emission process were found.

The emission maximum of DPN-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase in pH 7.07 buffer is shifted from 317 to 324 nm and fluorescence intensity is decreased when the excitation wave-length is varied from 270 to 290 nm; in 0.2 M KOH, where the fluorescence of tyrosyl residues is almost completely quenched, a further substantial decline in quantum yield of protein fluorescence and a red shift of the emiss...