Paramagnetism and improved upconversion luminescence properties of NaYF<sub>4</sub>:Yb,Er/NaGdF<sub>4</sub> nanocomposites synthesized by a boiling water seed-mediated route

doi:10.1007/s11706-016-0318-z

Front. Mater. Sci.

2016, Vol. 10

Issue (1) : 38-44 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-016-0318-z

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Paramagnetism and improved upconversion luminescence properties of NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ nanocomposites synthesized by a boiling water seed-mediated route

Chao-Qing YANG,Ao-Ju LI,Wei GUO,Peng-Hua TIAN,Xiao-Long YU,Zhong-Xin LIU,Yang CAO,Zhong-Liang SUN(

)

Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Advanced Materials in Tropical Island Resources, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China

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Abstract

In a route boiling water served as reaction medium, a stoichiometric amount of rare-earth compound and fluoride are put into this system to form α-NaYF₄:Yb,Er nuclei. Then prepared sample is heated at elevated temperature to improve the fluorescence intensity, and next a NaGdF₄ shell grows on the surface of NaYF₄ nuclei. NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ core--shell structured upconversion nanoparticles (CSUCNPs) have been successfully synthesized by above route. The use of boiling water decreases the cubic-to-hexagonal phase transition temperature of NaYF₄:Yb,Er to 350°C and increases its upconversion (UC) luminescence intensity. A heterogeneous NaGdF₄ epitaxially growing on the surface of Ln³⁺-doped NaYF₄ not only improves UC luminescence, but also creates a paramagnetic shell, which can be used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The solution of CSUCNPs shows bright green UC fluorescence under the excitation at 980 nm in a power density only about 50 mW·cm⁻². A broad spectrum with a dominant resonance at g of about 2 is observed by the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of CSUCNPs. Above properties suggest that the obtained CSUCNPs could be potential candidates for dual-mode optical/magnetic bioapplications.

Keywords boiling water upconversion nanoparticle fluorescence imaging paramagnetism

Corresponding Author(s): Zhong-Liang SUN

Online First Date: 29 December 2015 Issue Date: 15 January 2016

Cite this article:

Chao-Qing YANG,Ao-Ju LI,Wei GUO, et al. Paramagnetism and improved upconversion luminescence properties of NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ nanocomposites synthesized by a boiling water seed-mediated route[J]. Front. Mater. Sci., 2016, 10(1): 38-44.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/10.1007/s11706-016-0318-z
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/Y2016/V10/I1/38

Fig.1 (a) TEM image, (b) SAED pattern and (c) HRTEM image of NaYF₄:Yb,Er nanocrystals obtained in boiling water and annealed at 400°C.

Fig.2 XRD patterns of NaYF₄:Yb,Er nanocrystals obtained in boiling water and annealed at 500°C (a), 450°C (b), 400°C (c), 350°C (d), and 300°C (e) (red and blue vertical bars at the bottom are respectively positions of standard α-NaYF₄ and β-NaYF₄ from JCPDS Nos. 77-2042 and 16-0334).

Fig.3 PL spectra of NaYF₄:Yb,Er obtained at boiling water (a), 85°C (b), 65°C (c), 45°C (d), 25°C (e), boiling water and annealed at 400°C (a'), 85°C and annealed at 400°C (b'), 65°C and annealed at 400°C (c'), 45°C and annealed at 400°C (d'), and 25°C and annealed at 400°C (e').

Fig.4 (a) TEM image, (b) SAED pattern and (c) HRTEM image of the prepared NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ CSUCNPs.

Fig.5 XRD patterns of NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ CSUCNPs (a) and NaYF₄:Yb,Er seeds (b) (green, black and blue vertical bars at the bottom are respectively positions of standard α-NaYF₄, β-NaYF₄ and β-NaGdF₄ from JCPDS Nos. 77-2042, 16-0334 and 27-0699).

Fig.6 PL spectra of NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ CSUCNPs with different molar ratios of n(Gd)/n(Y): 0 (a); 0.25 (b); 0.50 (c); 0.75 (d); 1 (e); 1.25 (f). Inset: the UC fluorescence photo of the colloidal dispersion corresponding to Curve b under the 980 nm laser excitation.

Fig.7 EPR spectrum of NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ CSUCNPs.

Tab.1

Fig.1 EDS results of (a) NaYF₄:Yb,Er nanocrystals and (b) NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaGdF₄ CSUCNPs.

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