Rare‐Earth Nanoparticles with Enhanced Upconversion Emission and Suppressed Rare‐Earth‐Ion Leakage

Upconversion emissions from rare‐earth nanoparticles have attracted much interest as potential biolabels, for which small particle size and high emission intensity are both desired. Herein we report a facile way to achieve NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with a small size (10–13 nm) and highly enhanced (ca. 300 times) upconversion emission compared with the pristine NPs. The CaF₂ shell protects the rare‐earth ions from leaking, when the nanoparticles are exposed to buffer solution, and ensures biological safety for the potential bioprobe applications. With the upconversion emission from NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ NPs, HeLa cells were imaged with low background interference.     

Near‐Infrared‐Light‐Driven Artificial Photosynthesis by Nanobiocatalytic Assemblies

Artificial photosynthesis in nanobiocatalytic assemblies aims to reconstruct man‐made photosensitizers, electron mediators, electron donors, and redox enzymes for solar synthesis of valuable chemicals through photochemical cofactor regeneration. Herein, we report, for the first time, on nanobiocatalytic artificial photosynthesis in near‐infrared (NIR) light, which constitutes over 46% of the solar energy. For NIR‐light‐driven photoenzymatic synthesis, we synthesized silica‐coated upconversion nanoparticles, Si‐NaYF4:Yb,Er and Si‐NaYF4:Yb,Tm, for efficient photon‐conversion through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) with rose bengal (RB), a photosensitizer. We observed NIR‐induced electron transfer by using linear sweep voltammetric analysis; this indicates that photoexcited electrons of RB/Si‐NaYF4:Yb,Er are transferred to NAD+ through a Rh‐based electron mediator. RB/Si‐NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles, which exhibit higher FRET efficiency due to more spectral overlap than RB/Si‐NaYF4:Yb,Tm, perform much better in the photoenzymatic conversion.     

Magnetic nanosensor particles in luminescence upconversion capability

Nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit interesting size-dependent electrical, optical, magnetic, and chemical properties that cannot be observed in their bulk counterparts. The synthesis of NPs (i.e., crystalline particles ranging in size from 1 to 100 nm) has been intensely studied in the past decades. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) form a particularly attractive class of NPs and have found numerous applications such as in magnetic resonance imaging to visualize cancer, cardiovascular, neurological and other diseases. Other uses include drug targeting, tissue imaging, magnetic immobilization, hyperthermia, and magnetic resonance imaging. MNPs, due to their magnetic properties, can be easily separated from (often complex) matrices and manipulated by applying external magnetic field. Near-infrared to visible upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCLNPs) form another type of unusual nanoparticles. They are capable of emitting visible light upon NIR light excitation. Lanthanide-doped (Yb, Er) hexagonal NaYF? UCLNPs are the most efficient upconversion phosphors known up to now. The use of UCLNPs for in vitro imaging of cancer cells and in vivo imaging in tissues has been demonstrated. UCLNPs show great potential as a new class of luminophores for biological, biomedical, and sensor applications. We are reporting here on our first results on the combination of MNP and UCLNP technology within an ongoing project supported by the DFG and the FWF (Austria).     

Upconversion multicolor fine-tuning: visible to near-infrared emission from lanthanide-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles

A general approach to fine-tuning the upconversion emission colors, based upon a single host source of NaYF4 nanoparticles doped with Yb3+, Tm3+, and Er3+, is presented. The emission intensity balance can be precisely controlled using different host-activator systems and dopant concentrations. The approach allows access to a wide range of luminescence emission from visible to near-infrared by single-wavelength excitation.     

Controlled hydrothermal growth and up-conversion emission of NaLnF(4) (Ln = Y, Dy-Yb)

The controlled hydrothermal preparation of NaYF(4) as both cubic and hexagonal phase types with specific associated morphologies, nanospheres and microtubes, respectively, has been achieved in the absence of organic solvents. The hexagonal NaYF(4) compound can be prepared in novel microtubular form and directly co-doped with Yb(3+)/Er(3+) ions. When excited by infrared light of 980 nm, these hexagonal NaYF(4) microtubes display strong green up-conversion emission, which was much more intense than that of cubic NaYF(4) or hexagonal NaYF(4) nanoparticles. Other related hexagonal-prismatic microtubes of NaLnF(4) (Ln = Dy-Yb) were also synthesized. A growth mechanism for the microtubes is proposed. In general, the diameter of the hexagonal NaLnF(4) microtubes is strongly dependent on the Ln(3+) size and increases as the rare-earth ionic radius decreases.     

Green upconversion nanocrystals for DNA detection

By combining magnetic-field-assisted bioseparation and concentration technology with magnetite nanoparticles, novel green upconversion (UC) fluorescence nanocrystals (NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+) have been applied to the sensitive detection of DNA.     

NaYF4:Yb,Er/Tm上转换荧光纳米材料的合成、修饰及应用*

上转换荧光纳米材料NaYF4:Yb,Er/Tm因具有独特的上转换发光性能,在固体激光器、三维立体演示、红外成像等很多方面都有着重要的应用。近年来,NaYF4:Yb,Er/Tm上转换纳米颗粒作为荧光标记物用于生物标记引起了研究者的浓厚兴趣。合成出高质量、高荧光性能的NaYF4:Yb,Er/Tm上转换纳米颗粒是使之能够在生物医学等领域广泛应用的前提条件。本文针对NaYF4:Yb,Er/Tm上转换荧光纳米颗粒的合成方法、表面修饰以及生物应用等方面的研究进展进行综述。     

Luminescence resonance energy transfer based on β-NaYF_4:Yb,Er nanoparticles and TRITC dye

β-NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles (NPs) are one of the most efficient upconversion materials, which can convert near-infrared light to higher-energy light through multiple photon absorptions or energy transfer. In addition, they may be attractive alternative donors for luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) studies, because of their sharp absorption and emission profiles, high quantum yields, large anti-stokes shifts, long lifetime, low toxicity, and superior photo-stability. In principle, many problems of...     

Highly spectral dependent enhancement of upconversion emission with sputtered gold island films

We report a five-fold overall enhancement of upconversion emission in NaYF(4)?:?Yb/Er nanocrystals when coupled with gold island films. Spectroscopic studies show that the enhancement factors are highly dependent on the exact spectral positions and excitation power density, with a largest enhancement factor of more than 12 observed at selected spectral positions, which may be attributed to different upconversion processes involved.     

β-NaYF4：Yb,Er纳米晶与四甲基异氰酸罗丹明染料分子间的发光共振能量转移研究

Yb^3＋和Er^3＋离子掺杂的NaYF4纳米晶在近红外光（980nm）激发下可产生中心位于539和655nm的上转换发光,其中位于539nm的发光与四甲基异氰酸罗丹明（tetrametrylrhodarnine isothiocyante,TRITC）染料分子的吸收光谱部分重叠.本文基于上述光谱重叠特性,构筑了以β-NaYF4：Yb,Er为能量给体、TRITC为能量受体的发光共振能量转移（LRET）体系.TRITC分子通过静电作用紧密吸附于纳米晶表面,其较近距离的相互作用利于提高LRET效率和体系的稳定性.在980nm近红外光激发下,LRET过程使NaYF4：Yb,Er位于539nm的上转换发光减弱,同时可观察到TRITC染料分子的发光.对发光寿命的研究也证实了β-NaYF4：Yb,Er到TRITC的能量传递.     

Facile patterning of upconversion NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles

Different kinds of highly ordered patterns of NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles on gold substrates were fabricated using a simple method combining micro-contact printing and "breath figures" techniques. Ordered arrays of water droplets were first formed in the hydrophilic regions of patterned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This was subsequently submerged in a chloroform solution of NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles. The particles were spontaneously assembled at the interface of chloroform/water droplet surface, leading to different kinds of uniform patterns after solvent evaporation. The structures of NaYF(4):Yb,Er particles patterns depended on the dimension of the substrate, the concentration of the NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles and the water condensation process.     

Fabrication of polystyrene/upconversion nanocrystals nanocomposite spheres through in situ dispersion polymerization

This paper presents a feasible and efficacious procedure to synthesize polystyrene/upconversion nanocrystals (PS/UCNCs) nanocomposite spheres with raspberry-like structure via an in situ dispersion polymerization technique. During this process, polyacrylic acid (PAA) as stabilizer plays the key role in adsorbing UCNCs, including NaYF(4):Yb(3+)-Er(3+), NaYF(4):Yb(3+)-Tm(3+) and NaYF(4):Yb(3+)-Ho(3+) onto the PS surfaces. TEM and SEM images confirmed the raspberry-like morphology of the obtained nanocomposite spheres. The effect of synthetic conditions, for instances, PAA amount, type and concentration of UCNCs on the structure and fluorescence of the PS/UCNCs nanocomposite spheres were studied in detail.     

Novel heterometal-organic complexes as first single source precursors for up-converting NaY(Ln)F4 (Ln = Yb, Er, Tm) nanomaterials

First heterometal-organic single source precursors for NaYF(4) nanomaterials as a host matrix for up-conversion emission are reported. These novel heterobimetallic derivatives NaY(TFA)(4)(diglyme) (1), [Na(triglyme)(2)][Y(2)(TFA)(7)(THF)(2)] (2) and Na(2)Y(TFA)(5)(tetraglyme) (3) (TFA = trifluoroacetate), which were fully characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy, TG-DTA data as well as single crystal X-ray structures, are advantageous in terms of being anhydrous and having lower decomposition temperatures in comparison to the homometallic precursor Y(TFA)(3)(H(2)O)(3). In addition, they also contain chelating glyme ligands, which act as capping reagents during decomposition to control the NaYF(4) particle size and render them monodisperse in organic solvents. On decomposition in 1-octadecene, the molecular derivatives 1 and 3 are converted, in the absence of any surfactant or capping reagent, to cubic NaYF(4) nanocrystals at significantly lower temperatures (below 250 °C). At higher temperature, a mixture of the cubic and hexagonal phases was obtained, the relative ratio of the two phases depending on the reaction temperature. A pure hexagonal phase, which is many folds more efficient for UC emission than the cubic phase, was obtained by calcining nanocrystals of mixed phase at 400 °C. In order to co-dope this host matrix with up-converting lanthanide cations, analogous complexes NaLn(TFA)(4)(diglyme) [Ln = Er (4), Tm (5), Yb (6)] and Na(2)Ln(TFA)(5)(tetraglyme) [Ln = Er (7), Yb (8)] were also prepared and characterized. The decomposition in 1-octadecene of suitable combinations and appropriate molar ratios of these yttrium, ytterbium and erbium/thulium derivatives gave cubic and/or hexagonal NaYF(4): Yb(3+), Er(3+)/Tm(3+) nanocrystals (NCs) capped by diglyme or tetraglyme ligands, which were characterized by IR, TG-DTA data, EDX analysis and TEM studies. Surface modification of these NCs by ligand exchange reactions with poly acrylic acid (PAA) and polyethyleneglycol (PEG) diacid 600 was also carried out to render them water soluble. The THF solutions of suitable combinations of the diglyme derivatives were also used to elaborate the thin films of NaYF(4):Yb(3+), Er(3+)/Tm(3+) on a glass or Si wafer substrate by spin coating. The multicolour up-conversion fluorescence was successfully realized in the Yb(3+)/Er(3+) (green/red) and Yb(3+)/Tm(3+) (blue/violet) co-doped NaYF(4) nanoparticles and thin films, which demonstrates that they are promising UC nanophosphors of immense practical interest. The up-conversion excitation pathways for the Er(3+)/Yb(3+) and Tm(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped materials are discussed.     

内嵌硫化镉与上转换纳米颗粒的二氧化钛复合纳米管用于近红外光驱动光催化

由于近红外光在太阳光谱中占44%,因此,近红外光驱动的光催化剂的研制具有十分重要的意义.上转换发光材料可将低能量的近红外光子转换为高能光子,这种高能光子可以通过构建荧光共振转移系统将能量转移并活化量子效率较高的半导体材料,对于太阳能的转化利用具有潜在的应用前景.在本文中,通过胶体化学的过程在电纺丝制备的内嵌CdS纳米颗粒以及上转换荧光纳米颗粒(UCNPs)的二氧化硅复合纳米纤维表面外延生长一层二氧化钛层,通过高温煅烧得到二氧化钛复合纳米管.我们通过二氧化硅结构将CdS纳米颗粒与上转换荧光纳米颗粒紧紧束缚在一起,实现较高的荧光共振能量转移.而且,选择β-NaYF4:Yb(30%),Tm(0.5%)@NaYF4:Yb(20%),Er(2%)作为纳米能量转换器,替代以前研究工作中使用的β-NaYF4:Yb(30%),Tm(0.5%)或者β-NaYF4:Yb(30%),Tm(0.5%)@NaYF4纳米颗粒,来进一步提高近红外光的转换效率.通过透射电子显微镜照片很清楚的观察到制备的TiO2复合纳米管内部内嵌有大量的CdS与上转换纳米颗粒.通过X-射线衍射以及X-射线光电子能谱能仪器对产物的物相以及表面的化学组成进行了细致的表征.结果显示,通过本实验方法已经成功获得了TiO2复合纳米管.用稳态与瞬态荧光仪研究了最终样品的荧光性质.研究结果揭示,与上转换纳米颗粒以及二氧化硅复合纳米纤维相比,复合二氧化钛纳米管可以将上转换荧光纳米颗粒的(UV-Vis)部分荧光完全淬灭了.特别是,铒离子的荧光(650 nm)也被有效淬灭转移,说明本研究采用β-NaYF4:Yb(30%),Tm(0.5%)@NaYF4:Yb(20%),Er(2%)纳米能量转换器,可以提高近红外光的转换效率,紫外-可见吸收光谱证实,这种二氧化钛纳米管在紫外-可见光区中的吸收光谱与β-NaYF4:Yb(30%),Tm(0.5%)@NaYF4:Yb(20%),Er(2%)纳米颗粒的荧光光谱具有较大的重叠,使得上转换荧光纳米颗粒与CdS以及二氧化钛组分之间的荧光共振转移的效率大大提高,进而会显著提高光催化的效果.以罗丹明染料作为污染物为模型,我们研究了罗丹明染料在氙灯下或者近红外光光照下的光催化分解实验.研究结果表明,90%的罗丹明染料分子在20 min内就被降解掉,效率高于其它的近红外光催化剂.上转换荧光纳米颗粒的能量转换效率可以得到大幅度提高,本研究工作中制备的光催化剂利用太阳能的效率将会得到极大提高,在未来为能源危机以及环境保护提供一种可供选择的方法与技术.     

Synthesis of colloidal upconverting NaYF4 nanocrystals doped with Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+, Yb3+ via thermal decomposition of lanthanide trifluoroacetate precursors

Upconverting lanthanide-doped nanocrystals were synthesized via the thermal decomposition of trifluoroacetate precursors in a mixture of oleic acid and octadecene. This method provides highly luminescent nanoparticles through a simple one-pot technique with only one preparatory step. The Er3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+, Yb3+ doped cubic NaYF4 nanocrystals are colloidally stable in nonpolar organic solvents and exhibit green/red and blue upconversion luminescence, respectively, under 977 nm laser excitation with low power densities.     

Upconversion emission enhancement of Gd3+ ions induced by surface plasmon field in Au@NaYF4 nanostructures codoped with Gd(3+)-Yb(3+)-Tm(3+) ions

Au nanoparticles (NPs) attached β-NaYF(4) nanocrystals codoped with Gd(3+)-Yb(3+)-Tm(3+) were synthesized by a facial solution method. The UV-vis-near-infrared absorption spectrum shows typical surface plasmon resonance band of Au NPs in addition to the characteristic absorption peaks of Yb(3+) ion. X-ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction results indicate the existence of Au NPs. The transmission electron microscopic image reveals the formation of Au@NaYF(4) nanostructures. Enhanced ultraviolet (UV) upconversion luminescence (UCL) was observed in the nanostructures under the excitation of 980-nm infrared laser. The largest enhancement factor was obtained as 76 for the (6)I(J)→(8)S(7/2) emission of Gd(3+) ions, which was much larger than those emission enhancement factors of Tm(3+). It is for the first time to our knowledge that the emission enhancement of Gd(3+) ions was obtained. Local field enhancement induced by Au NPs was found to be responsible for the UCL enhancement, which is the further experimental evidence of local field enhancement theory. Magnetic measurements of the Au@NaYF(4) nanostructure indicated it would have potential application in magnetic resonance imaging.     

Tuning of the structure and emission spectra of upconversion nanocrystals by alkali ion doping

Recently, lanthanide based nanocrystals with upconversion fluorescence emission have attracted a lot of interest and the nanocrystals have been used for bioimaging, biodetection, and therapeutic applications. Use of the nanocrystals for multiplexed detection has also been explored; however, nanocrystals with multicolor emission are required. Some efforts have been made to tune the emission spectra of the nanocrystals based on manipulation of upconverting lanthanide ions doped in the crystals or creation of core/shell structures. In this work, alkali ions with an ionic radius slightly larger or smaller than Na such as Li and K were doped into NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanocrystals and their effect on the crystal structure and subsequently the upconversion emission spectra were studied. It was found that the phase transition occurs in the nanocrystals when a different amount of Li and K was doped. Furthermore, the intensity ratios between the blue, green, and red emission peaks changed accordingly, and make it possible to tune the upconversion fluorescence of the nanocrystals by Li and K doping.     

Preparation of yttrium oxysulfide phosphor nanoparticles with infrared-to-green and -blue upconversion emission using an emulsion liquid membrane system

Yttrium oxysulfide upconverting phosphor nanoparticles, doped with Yb as a sensitizer and Er (or Ho, Tm) as an activator, have been prepared via a solid-gas reaction using precursor oxalate particles obtained in an emulsion liquid membrane (ELM, water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion) system. The resulting Y(2)O(2)S:Yb,Er particles, mainly smaller than 50 nm in diameter, demonstrated green upconversion emission under infrared excitation (lambdaex = 980 nm) via a two-photon process. Distinct green and blue upconversion emission were also demonstrated under the same infrared excitation from Y(2)O(2)S:Yb,Ho and Y(2)O(2)S:Yb,Tm nanoparticles, respectively. These upconverting phosphor nanoparticles, together with Y(2)O(3):Yb,Er infrared-to-red upconverting phosphor particles, with different emission under the same infrared excitation may be applied to the luminescent reporter materials for the detection of the targeted analyte in multiplexed assays.     

Tunable red-green upconversion luminescence in novel transparent glass ceramics containing Er: NaYF4 nanocrystals

To develop NaYF(4) as bulk luminescence material, transparent glass ceramics containing Er(3+): NaYF(4) nanocrystals were fabricated for the first time, and the influences of heat-treatment temperature and Er(3+) doping level on their upconversion luminescence were investigated. With increasing heating temperature, the upconversion intensity enhanced accordingly, attributing to the incorporation of more Er(3+) into the grown NaYF(4). Notably, when the heating temperature reached 650 degrees C, the upconversion intensity augmented drastically due to the occurrence of phase transition from the cubic NaYF(4) to the hexagonal one. Interestingly, for the samples heat-treated at 620 degrees C, when the Er(3+) doping level was increased from 0.05 to 2.0 mol %, the upconversion emission was whole-range tunable from monochromatic green to approximately monochromatic red, which could be mainly attributed to the cross-relaxation between Er(3+) ions. The excellent optical properties and its convenient, low-cost synthesis of the present glass ceramic imply that it is an excellent substitution material for the unobtainable bulk NaYF(4) crystal, potentially applicable in many fields.     

上转换纳米粒子的Y(OH)CO3壳层包覆及壳层转化

Along with the promising applications of lanthanide doped upconversion nanomaterials in diverse fields such as biology, anti-counterfeiting, and lasering, the demand for multifunctional upconversion nanomaterials is increasing. One effective means of obtaining these nanomaterials is to fabricate upconversion nanomaterial-based heterostructures, which may provide superior properties as compared to the sum of the parts. However, obtaining heterostructured upconversion nanomaterials remains challenging mainly because of the crystal lattice mismatch between upconversion nanomaterials and other materials. Typically used strategies for synthesizing upconversion nanomaterial-based heterostructures are applicable only to limited types of materials. Alternatively, transformation of the intermediate layer is a promising strategy used to obtain these heterostructures. Nevertheless, this method remains in its infancy and, to date, only a few intermediate layers have been developed. New types of intermediate layers are therefore highly desirable. In this study, we show that amorphous Y(OH)CO₃ can be a promising candidate as an intermediate layer for fabricating upconversion nanoparticle-based heterostructures. As a proof-of-concept experiment, ligand-free NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm upconversion nanoparticles were first prepared as core nanoparticles. The Y(OH)CO₃ shell was then directly coated on the NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm upconversion nanoparticles in an aqueous solution using urea and Y(NO₃)₃, by a homogeneous precipitation approach. The thickness of the resulting Y(OH)CO₃ shell could be tuned by adjusting the amounts of either urea or Y(NO₃)₃. The as-coated Y(OH)CO₃ shell could be easily converted to YOF by heating at 300 ℃, yielding NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm@YOF core-shell heterostructured nanoparticles. In addition, we found that the NaGdF₄ core could be transformed to lanthanide oxide fluoride if the NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm@Y(OH)CO₃ core-shell nanoparticles were heated at 350 ℃. We also observed that treating the NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm@Y(OH)CO₃ core-shell nanoparticles at even higher temperatures (e.g., 400 ℃) produced aggregations of nanoparticles without regular morphologies. The transformation of the shell can be attributed to the decomposition of Y(OH)CO₃ and reactions between the Y(OH)CO₃ shell and NaGdF₄ core. Meanwhile, the transformation of the NaGdF₄ core at relatively high temperatures could be primarily due to the reactions between Y(OH)CO₃ and NaGdF₄. Notably, in this study, the core-shell structured nanoparticles, with either a Y(OH)CO₃ or YOF shell, maintained the photon upconversion properties of NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm upconversion nanoparticles. In addition, the method used here could be extended to the coating of other shells such as Tb(OH)CO₃ and Yb(OH)CO₃ on upconversion nanoparticles. Moreover, the NaGdF₄:Yb/Tm@Y(OH)CO₃ core-shell nanoparticles could be transformed to other nanoparticles with novel structures such as yolk-shell nanoparticles. These results can pave the way for preparing upconversion nanoparticle-based heterostructures and multifunctional composites, thus promoting new applications of upconversion nanoparticles.