Stimuli-Responsive Molecular Photon Upconversion

The addition of stimuli-responsiveness to anti-Stokes emission provides a unique platform for biosensing and chemosensing. Particularly, stimuli-responsive photon upconversion based on triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA-UC) is promising due to its occurrence at low excitation intensity with high efficiency. This Minireview summarizes the recent developments of TTA-UC switching by external stimuli such as temperature, oxygen, chemicals, light, electric field, and mechanical force. For the systematic understanding of the underlying general mechanisms, the switching mechanisms are categorized into four types: 1) aggregation-induced UC; 2) assembly-induced air-stable UC; 3) diffusion-controlled UC; and 4) energy-transfer-controlled UC. The development of stimuli-responsive smart TTA-UC systems would enable sensing with unprecedented sensitivity and selectivity, and expand the scope of TTA-UC photochemistry by combination with supramolecular chemistry, materials chemistry, mechanochemistry, and biochemistry.     

Near-Infrared Light-Triggered Chlorine Radical (.Cl) Stress for Cancer Therapy

Free radicals with reactive chemical properties can fight tumors without causing drug resistance. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been widely used for cancer treatment, but regrettably, the common O₂ and H₂O₂ deficiency in tumors sets a severe barrier for sufficient ROS production, leading to unsatisfactory anticancer outcomes. Here, we construct a chlorine radical (^.Cl) nano-generator with SiO₂-coated upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) on the inside and Ag⁰/AgCl hetero-dots on the outside. Upon near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, the short-wavelength emission UCNP catalyzes ^.Cl generation from Ag⁰/AgCl with no dependence on O₂/H₂O₂. ^.Cl with strong oxidizing capacity and nucleophilicity can attack biomolecules in cancer cells more effectively than ROS. This ^.Cl stress treatment will no doubt broaden the family of oxidative stress-induced antitumor strategies by using non-oxygen free radicals, which is significant in the development of new anticancer agents.     

Lanthanide‐Based Luminescent Materials for Waveguide and Lasing

Microlasers and waveguides have wide applications in the fields of photonics and optoelectronics. Lanthanide‐doped luminescent materials featuring large Stokes/anti‐Stokes shift, long excited‐state lifetime as well as sharp emission bandwidth are excellent optical components for photonic applications. In the past few years, great progress has been made in the design and fabrication of lanthanide‐based waveguides and lasers at the micrometer length scale. Waveguide structures and microcavities can be fabricated from lanthanide‐doped amorphous materials through top‐down process. Alternatively, lanthanide‐doped organic compounds featuring large absorption cross‐section can self‐assemble into low‐dimensional structures of well‐defined size and morphology. In recent years, lanthanide‐doped crystalline structures displaying highly tunable excitation and emission properties have emerged as promising waveguide and lasing materials, which substantially extends the range of lasing wavelength. In this minireview, we discuss recent advances in lanthanide‐based luminescent materials that are designed for waveguide and lasing applications. We also attempt to highlight challenging problems of these materials that obstacle further development of this field.     

反应物浓度对NaYF4∶yb3+,Tm3+晶相的影响

利用水热法,制备了具有不同形貌的NaYF4:20％ Yb3+,1％Tm3+上转换发光粒子.利用扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射分析、发光光谱测量等手段对样品进行了形貌、晶相和发光性质的表征.结果表明,通过调控反应物的浓度,可以实现NaYF4基质从立方相到六角相的晶相转变.在980 nm红外光的激发下,六角相的NaYF4∶ 2...     

Upconversion emission enhancement of TiO2 coated lanthanide-doped Y2O3 nanoparticles

To investigate the upconversion emission,this paper synthesizes Tm3+ and Yb3+ codoped Y2O3 nanoparticles,and then coats them with TiO2 shells for different coating times.The spectral results of TiO2 coated nanoparticles indicate that upconversion emission intensities have respectively been enhanced 3.2,5.4,and 2.2 times for coating times of 30,60 and 90 min at an excitation power density of 3.21×102 W.cm 2,in comparison with the emission intensity of non-coated nanoparticles.Therefore it can be concluded that the intense upconversion emission of Y2O3:Tm3+,Yb3+ nanoparticles can be achieved by coating the particle surfaces with a shell of specific thickness.     

Infrared-to-Ultraviolet upconversion luminescence of La0.95Yb0.49Tm0.01F3 nanostructures

In this work, we used the hydrothermal method to synthesize Yb³⁺ and Tm³⁺ doped LaF₃ nanostructures, which is an ultraviolet upconversion luminescent material. Two distinct shapes such as nanosheets, nanoparticles and bulk samples formed in the products by adjusting the concentrations of the surfactant of the reaction solution. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the products were pure hexagonal phase, while electron microscopy measurements confirm the formation of different morphologies. These nanostructures exhibit strong ultraviolet upconversion luminescence under the excitation of a 978-nm diode laser. In Yb³⁺ and Tm³⁺ codoped LaF₃ materials, the relative intensity of ultraviolet and blue upconversion emissions became stronger as the size and morphology of sample changed from bulk to sheets.     

多壁纳米碳管的频率上转换效应研究

实验上测量了多壁纳米碳管的吸收光谱和光致发光谱,观察到了多壁纳米碳管的光频率上转换效应,激发波长为1064 nm,发射光谱为带状光谱,峰值波长为780 nm.由吸收光谱上观察到了纳米碳管的态密度分布的范霍夫奇点,这些奇点对应的吸收峰位置为685nm,719nm和894nm.上转换过程是纳米碳管的电子经双光子吸收,再经无辐射跃迁布居在范霍夫奇点,最后经辐射跃迁而产生荧光.     

Construction of a Dual Drug Carrier on the Basis of Hollow Structured Upconversion Nanoparticles for pH‐Responsive Drug Delivery and UCL/MRI Dual Mode Imaging

A series of Gd³⁺ doping hollow upconversion nanoparticles NaYF₄:Yb,Gd,Tm (h‐UNCP) are prepared successfully. The hollow NaYF₄:Yb,Gd,Tm possess excellent upconversion luminescence (UCL) and large longitudinal relativity (r₁ = 128.3 mm ^?1 s^?1), which can be potentially used for UCL/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dual mode imaging. On the basis of the optimal h‐UCNP, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and methotrexate (MTX) are used as drug models to prepare a dual drug carrier. After the encapsulation of DOX on the h‐UCNP, chitosan (CS) is further wrapped and then used to load MTX to obtain a dual drug carrier h‐UCNPs/DOX/CS/MTX. The pH responsive release of DOX and MTX is discussed. The MTX release climbs from 33% to 100% by regulating the pH from 5.8 to 7.4. The DOX release is different at different pH conditions. The synergistic effect of DOX and MTX on the cancer cells is confirmed by cell viability. The h‐UCNPs/DOX/CS/MTX are tracked by cells UCL imaging and vivo MRI imaging. The excellent performance of UCL imaging and positive MRI images demonstrates that h‐UCNPs/DOX/CS/MTX can be used for UCL/MRI dual mode imaging. All the results show the potential application of h‐UCNPs/DOX/CS/MTX in pH responsive release and UCL/MRI dual imaging.     

ZBLAN：Yb3+, Tm3+双频共激发的上转换发光

首先测量了ZBLAN:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺分别在980nm和808nm激光激发下的400~600nm波段内的上转换发光光谱,在此基础上研究了980,808nm激光共激发下ZBLAN:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺的上转换发光特性。在测量过程中,分别改变输入激光功率,测量了上转换发光强度与泵浦激光输入功率的关系,由此绘制双对数曲线图,对上转换发光机制进行了分析。研究证明980nm激发为三光子过程、808nm激发为双光子过程,而980,808nm激光共同激发为共协过程。