基于NaYF4:Yb,Er上转换荧光纳米颗粒精准检测DNA

建立了一种利用碱基堆积原理并以上转换纳米粒子荧光作为内参的精准检测DNA的方法。该方法首先利用热分解法制备NaYF_4∶Yb,Er上转换荧光纳米颗粒(upconversion nanoparticles,UCNPs),再通过表面羧基化变性牛血清蛋白修饰后与氨基化探针核酸单链共价偶联,形成上转换荧光标记显示探针。最后再基于碱基堆积原理进行杂交检测。研究结果表明以NaYF_4∶Yb,Er荧光强度为内参,根据FAM/UCNP的强度比来定量检测目标DNA浓度比单一的以报告DNA中FAM荧光强度定量检测目标DNA浓度要更为精准,有效地避免了实验中出现的人为操作和仪器误差。本方法不需要进行扩增,检测底限可达到5 nmol·L~(-1),且在较大的浓度范围内有较好的线性关系,同时该方法也有着良好的特异性,能有效区分单碱基错配序列。     

等离激元增强上转换发光及其分子检测应用

针对荧光分子检测普遍灵敏度低和检测范围窄的问题,制备了具有等离子激元共振特性的重掺杂半导体纳米结构Cu_2-xS和典型的稀土掺杂上转换发光纳米颗粒NaYF₄∶Yb,Er,通过三相界面自组装方法获得了Cu_2-xS/NaYF₄∶Yb,Er薄膜基底。结合有限元模拟,计算了不同摆放情况下Cu_2-xS周围的局域电场分布,研究了在实际薄膜中Cu_2-xS纳米盘之间产生的等离激元耦合对上转换发光性能以及对拉曼信号增强的影响。结果表明,Cu_2-xS等离激元层与NaYF₄∶Yb,Er发光层的耦合,不仅得到了上转换 3个数量级的提高,还实现了分子检测 10^-7 mol·L^-1的检测极限,并且获得了 10^-3~10^-7 mol·L^-1的宽线性响应,从而达到高灵敏度的定性和定量双功能的精确检测。     

等离激元增强上转换发光及其分子检测应用

针对荧光分子检测普遍灵敏度低和检测范围窄的问题,制备了具有等离子激元共振特性的重掺杂半导体纳米结构Cu_2-xS和典型的稀土掺杂上转换发光纳米颗粒NaYF₄：Yb,Er,通过三相界面自组装方法获得了Cu_2-xS/NaYF₄：Yb,Er薄膜基底。结合有限元模拟,计算了不同摆放情况下Cu_2-xS周围的局域电场分布,研究了在实际薄膜中Cu_2-xS纳米盘之间产生的等离激元耦合对上转换发光性能以及对拉曼信号增强的影响。结果表明,Cu_2-xS等离激元层与NaYF₄：Yb,Er发光层的耦合,不仅得到了上转换3个数量级的提高,还实现了分子检测10^-7 mol·L^-1的检测极限,并且获得了10^-3~10^-7 mol·L^-1的宽线性响应,从而达到高灵敏度的定性和定量双功能的精确检测。     

基于NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+上转换发光纳米晶的复合微球组装及其光动力活性研究

采用微乳液法,以NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺纳米晶为发光基元,肽菁锌(ZnPc)光敏分子与十八碳烯-马来酸酐共聚物(PMAO)为功能分子,一步组装获得了NaYF₄-ZnPc-PMAO复合微球,此微球同时具备成像与光动力活性功能,NaYF₄可作为低生物背景的荧光成像剂,同时其上转换发光可以敏化ZnPc用于光动力活性研究,PMAO分子经过简单的水解反应即可实现表面羧基功能化。TEM,Zeta电位与PL测试证实了微球的结构与性能。利用荧光共聚焦成像技术实现了对Hela细胞的发光成像;进一步通过单线态氧监测及980 nm光照下的MTT法细胞活性测试表明微球具有光动力活性功能。     

基于去保护机理的新型H2O2荧光探针的制备及应用

合成的3',6'-对戊酰硼荧光素是一种基于去保护机理的高灵敏H₂O₂荧光增强化合物, 能灵敏地检测出样品中H₂O₂的含量. 用IR, ¹H NMR 对该探针的结构进行了表征, 并且讨论了反应时间、溶剂、碱对探针合成的影响. 研究了探针的最佳响应时间, 结果表明检测过程中反应的最佳时间为3 min. 该探针在2.3×10^－12～2.0×10^－8 mol/L H₂O₂溶液范围内呈荧光增强趋势, 检测下限为2.3×10^－12 mol/L. 此探针重现性良好, 在血清中检测H₂O₂的回收率在93.9%～102.2%之间, 结果令人满意, 具有一定的实用价值.     

一种检测CO32-比率荧光探针的合成及其在细胞成像中的应用

本文设计开发了一种以2,6-二甲酰基对甲苯酚为母体的新型荧光探针HMI,可用于高效识别EtOH-H₂O (8/2, v/v, HEPES 10 mM, pH =7.4)体系中的CO_3^2-。HMI在660 nm处显示发射带,加入CO_3^2-后,在600 nm的等吸收点激发时,原来在660 nm处的荧光淬灭,而以540 nm为中心的新发射带荧光显着增加,为比率型荧光探针。HMI对CO_3^2-表现出高选择性且具有较强的抗干扰能力。此外,荧光探针HMI对CO_3^2-荧光响应的检测限较低,可达到3.938×10^_-6 M。更具有意义的是,HMI探针对CO_3^2-的检测能够在实际水样中起到很好的应用,而且细胞成像研究表明,HMI可用于活体MCF-7细胞中CO_3^2-的成像。     

基于去保护机理的新型H2O2荧光探针的制备及应用

合成的3',6'-对戊酰硼荧光素是一种基于去保护机理的高灵敏H₂O₂荧光增强化合物, 能灵敏地检测出样品中H₂O₂的含量. 用IR, ¹H NMR 对该探针的结构进行了表征, 并且讨论了反应时间、溶剂、碱对探针合成的影响. 研究了探针的最佳响应时间, 结果表明检测过程中反应的最佳时间为3 min. 该探针在2.3×10^－12～2.0×10^－8 mol/L H₂O₂溶液范围内呈荧光增强趋势, 检测下限为2.3×10^－12 mol/L. 此探针重现性良好, 在血清中检测H₂O₂的回收率在93.9%～102.2%之间, 结果令人满意, 具有一定的实用价值.     

荧光纳米材料YPO4∶Sm3+@YPO4@聚乙二醇的构筑及其荧光性能

为了改善稀土磷酸盐的疏水性和荧光性能,利用水热和微波的方法构筑了双层荧光纳米材料YPO₄∶Sm³⁺@YPO₄@PEG (PEG为聚乙二醇)。首先通过调控YPO₄∶Sm³⁺与YPO₄的物质的量之比制备不同壳厚的核壳结构纳米发光材料YPO₄∶Sm³⁺@YPO₄,优选能够增强主体荧光性能的最佳物质的量之比。然后选用PEG进行包覆,得到YPO₄∶Sm³⁺@YPO₄@PEG。利用X射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱和荧光光谱对产物的结构、形貌和荧光性能进行了表征。结果表明：包覆前后的纳米荧光粉都具有单一的四方晶系(YPO₄)结构,呈纳米球型,半径60~100 nm,包覆层的厚度10~20 nm。双层核壳结构的YPO₄∶Sm³⁺@YPO₄@PEG的荧光强度比纳米荧光粉YPO₄∶Sm³⁺增强了6倍多。可见该双层荧光纳米材料不仅具有亲水性和生物相容性,也增强了YPO₄∶Sm³⁺的荧光强度。     

离子色谱法测定水体中化学需氧量的研究

本文提出了一种将离子色谱和纳米TiO₂－K₂S₂O₈共存体系相结合测定水体中化学需氧量（COD）值的新方法。其测定原理是基于纳米TiO₂ –K₂S₂O₈共存体系对有机物的光催化氧化，体系降解有机物产生的SO₄^2-，利用离子色谱电导检测法测定SO₄^2-的浓度，其电导率响应值的变化量与水体中化学需氧量呈一定的比例关系。本文研究了测定机理，优化了测定条件，结果表明，本方法操作条件温和，能实现快速、准确的测定。COD值在10.0～300.0mg·L^-1浓度范围内，与电导信号值成线性关系，以三倍信噪比计算检测限为3.3mg·L^-1。将本方法用于实际水样的检测，测定结果与COD标准分析法有好的一致性。     

Er3+/Yb3+共掺杂La2TiO5荧光粉体的制备及上下转换荧光性质研究

使用溶胶-凝胶法制备了Er³⁺单掺及Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺La₂TiO₅荧光粉体样品。经过1 100 ℃下3 h的煅烧,得到了较好的微晶。X射线粉末衍射测试表明样品中不含杂质相。扫描电镜观察表明样品颗粒范围为100~300 nm。紫外激发光谱中,在250~320 nm范围内出现Er离子和临近配位氧离子之间强烈的电荷转移跃迁峰,在350~500 nm出现Er离子f-f跃迁尖锐的吸收峰。在378 nm激发下,Er离子发射强烈的特征绿光(546 nm, ⁴S_3/2-⁴I_5/2),当Er离子物质的量分数达到1%,发射峰强度达到最大。在980 nm激发下的上转换光谱中,Yb离子的共掺杂有效的敏化上转换发光强度。详细讨论了样品的上下转换发光机理及相应能量传递过程。同时测试了样品的荧光衰减和量子产率。     

A highly sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer aptasensor for staphylococcal enterotoxin B detection based on exonuclease-catalyzed target recycling strategy

An ultrasensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) bioassay was developed to detect staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a low molecular exotoxin, using an aptamer-affinity method coupled with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)-sensing, and the fluorescence intensity was prominently enhanced using an exonuclease-catalyzed target recycling strategy. To construct this aptasensor, both fluorescence donor probes (complementary DNA₁–UCNPs) and fluorescence quencher probes (complementary DNA₂–Black Hole Quencher₃ (BHQ₃)) were hybridized to an SEB aptamer, and double-strand oligonucleotides were fabricated, which quenched the fluorescence of the UCNPs via FRET. The formation of an aptamer–SEB complex in the presence of the SEB analyte resulted in not only the dissociation of aptamer from the double-strand DNA but also both the disruption of the FRET system and the restoration of the UCNPs fluorescence. In addition, the SEB was liberated from the aptamer–SEB complex using exonuclease I, an exonuclease specific to single-stranded DNA, for analyte recycling by selectively digesting a particular DNA (SEB aptamer). Based on this exonuclease-catalyzed target recycling strategy, an amplified fluorescence intensity could be produced using different SEB concentrations. Using optimized experimental conditions produced an ultrasensitive aptasensor for the detection of SEB, with a wide linear range of 0.001–1 ng mL⁻¹ and a lower detection limit (LOD) of 0.3 pg mL⁻¹ SEB (at 3σ). The fabricated aptasensor was used to measure SEB in a real milk samples and validated using the ELISA method. Furthermore, a novel aptasensor FRET assay was established for the first time using 30 mol% Mn²⁺ ions doped NaYF₄:Yb/Er (20/2 mol%) UCNPs as the donor probes, which suggests that UCNPs are superior fluorescence labeling materials for food safety analysis.     

Boosting Luminance Energy Transfer Efficiency in Upconversion Nanoparticles with an Energy‐Concentrating Zone

Despite the successful application of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), their low energy transfer efficiency is still a bottleneck to further applications. Here we design UCNPs with a multilayer structure, including an inert NaYF₄:Gd core and an energy‐concentrating zone (ECZ), for efficient energy concentration. The ECZ is composed of an emitting layer of NaYF₄:Yb,Er and an absorption layer of NaYF₄:Nd,Yb with antenna IRDye 800CW to manipulate the energy transfer. The stable and tight packing of 800CW linked originally with a bisphosphonate ligand improves greatly the transfer efficiency. The proximity of the emitting layer to both surface antenna and accepter also decreases energy depletion. Compared to classical UCNPs, the ECZ UCNPs show 3600 times higher luminescence intensity with an energy transfer efficiency near 60 %. In proof‐of‐concept applications, this type of structure was employed for Hg²⁺ detection and for photodynamic therapy under hypoxic conditions.     

Monodisperse Dual‐Functional Upconversion Nanoparticles Enabled Near‐Infrared Organolead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Extending the spectral absorption of organolead halide perovskite solar cells from visible into near‐infrared (NIR) range renders the minimization of non‐absorption loss of solar photons with improved energy alignment. Herein, we report on, for the first time, a viable strategy of capitalizing on judiciously synthesized monodisperse NaYF₄:Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as the mesoporous electrode for CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite solar cells and more importantly confer perovskite solar cells to be operative under NIR light. Uniform NaYF₄:Yb/Er UCNPs are first crafted by employing rationally designed double hydrophilic star‐like poly(acrylic acid)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA‐b‐PEO) diblock copolymer as nanoreactor, imparting the solubility of UCNPs and the tunability of film porosity during the manufacturing process. The subsequent incorporation of NaYF₄:Yb/Er UCNPs as the mesoporous electrode led to a high efficiency of 17.8 %, which was further increased to 18.1 % upon NIR irradiation. The in situ integration of upconversion materials as functional components of perovskite solar cells offers the expanded flexibility for engineering the device architecture and broadening the solar spectral use.     

Synthesis of improved upconversion nanoparticles as ultrasensitive fluorescence probe for mycotoxins

Rare earth-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have promising potentials in biodetection due to their unique frequency upconverting capability and high detection sensitivity. This paper reports an improved UCNPs-based fluorescence probe for dual-sensing of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Deoxynivalenol (DON) using a magnetism-induced separation and the specific formation of antibody-targets complex. Herein, the improved UCNPs, which were namely NaYF₄:Yb/Ho/Gd and NaYF₄:Yb/Tm/Gd, were systematically studied based on the optimization of reaction time, temperature and the concentration of dopant ions with simultaneous phase and size controlled NaYF₄ nanoparticles; and the targets were detected using the pattern of competitive combination assay. Under an optimized condition, the advanced fluorescent probes revealed stronger fluorescent properties, broader biological applications and better storage stabilities compared to traditional UCNPs-based ones; and ultrasensitive determinations of AFB1 and DON were achieved under a wide sensing range of 0.001–0.1 ng ml⁻¹ with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.001 ng ml⁻¹. Additionally, the applicability of the improved nanosensor for the detection of mycotoxins was also confirmed in adulterated oil samples.     

Upconversion nanoparticle-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay for Cr(III) ions in urine

A novel assay of chromium(III) ion based on upconversion fluorescence resonance energy transfer was designed and established. Lysine-capped NaYF₄:Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and dimercaptosuccinic acid-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used as the energy donor and acceptor, respectively. They were bound together via electrostatic interaction, resulting in the quenching of the fluorescence of UCNPs by AuNPs. Chromium(III) ions can specifically and strongly interact with dimercaptosuccinic acid that was modified on the surface of AuNPs, leading to the separation of AuNPs from UCNPs and the recovery of fluorescence of UCNPs. The fluorescence recovery of UCNPs showed a good linear response to Cr³⁺ concentration in the range of 2–500 nM with a detection limit of 0.8 nM. This method was further applied to determine the levels of Cr³⁺ in urine. Compared with other fluorescence methods, current method displayed very high sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio because of the excitation of near-infrared that can eliminate autofluorescence, providing a promising examination of biological samples for the diagnostic purposes.     

Biocompatible NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles: Colloidal stability and optical properties

Currently, highly luminescent colloidal upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have expanded an increasing interest of researchers because of their facilitating lability in the biomedical/clinical field. In this study, NaYF₄:Yb,Er UCNPs are prepared by eco-friendly metal complexation-based thermal decomposition method at a lower temperature in aqueous media. The phase structure, crystallinity, phase purity, morphology, colloidal dispersibility, surface structure, surface charge, and optical and luminescent properties were evaluated carefully by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV/visible and photoluminescent spectroscopic techniques. XRD pattern shows a pure single-phase cubic structure with an average grain size of 30–35 nm. TEM and SEM micrographs exhibited irregularly shaped spherical morphologies, porous surface structures highly aggregated UCNPs with the narrow-size distribution. Positive zeta potential has shown value signifying high absorption in the visible region which indicates particle's good colloidal stability in aqueous media. Under NIR-laser light excitation, the UCNPs emit strong UC emission transitions in the visible region. A broad infrared absorption peak of hydroxyl groups (–OH) in FTIR spectrum and mass loss at a lower temperature in TGA verified the surface functionality of UCNPs, with high colloidal stability, and excellent biocompatibility in aqueous media. In terms of their surface characteristics and high luminescent properties, the NaYF₄:Yb,Er UCNPs could be interestingly applied in tagging of biomolecules, drug delivery, proteins labeling, and therapeutic and thermostats applications.     

Luminescent Ink Based on Upconversion of NaYF4:Er,Yb@MA Nanoparticles: Environmental Friendly Synthesis and Structural and Spectroscopic Assessment

NaYF₄:Er,Yb upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) were prepared by hydrothermal methods at 180 °C for 24 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) images show that the resulting 60 nm UCNPs possess a hexagonal structure. In this work, maleic anhydride (MA) was grafted on the surface of UCNPs to induce hydrophilic properties. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) show upconversion emissions centered around 545 nm and 660 nm under excitation at 980 nm. The luminescent inks, including UCNPs@MA, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), deionized water (DI), and ethylene glycol (EG), exhibit suitable properties for screen printing, such as high stability, emission intensity, and tunable dynamic viscosity. The printed patterns with a height of 5 mm and a width of 1.5 mm were clearly observed under the irradiation of a 980 nm laser. Our strategy provides a new route for the controlled synthesis of hydrophilic UCNPs, and shows that the UCNPs@MAs have great potential in applications of anti-counterfeiting packing.