Smart design of exquisite multidimensional multilayered sand-clock-like upconversion nanostructures with ultrabright luminescence as efficient luminescence probes for bioimaging application
Author | Abualrejal, Murad M.A. |
Author | Eid, Kamel |
Author | Abdullah, Aboubakr M. |
Author | Numan, Abdulqawi Ahmed |
Author | Chen, Hongda |
Author | Zhang, Hua |
Author | Wang, Zhenxin |
Available date | 2022-10-01T16:59:14Z |
Publication Date | 2020-09-01 |
Publication Name | Microchimica Acta |
Identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00604-020-04521-2 |
Citation | Abualrejal, M., Eid, K., Abdullah, A. M., Numan, A. A., Chen, H., Zhang, H., & Wang, Z. (2020). Smart design of exquisite multidimensional multilayered sand-clock-like upconversion nanostructures with ultrabright luminescence as efficient luminescence probes for bioimaging application. Microchimica Acta, 187(9), 1-13. |
ISSN | 00263672 |
Abstract | A facile scalable approach is presented for the rational design of multidimensional, multilayered sand-clock-like UCNPs (denoted as UCCKs) bounded with high index facets, with a tunable Nd3+ content, and without a template or multiple complicated reaction steps. This was achieved using the seed-mediated growth and subsequent longitudinal direction epitaxial growth with the assistance of oleic acid and NH4F. The as-formed UCCKs composed of an inner layer (NaYF4:Yb,Er,Ca), an intermediate layer (NaYF4:Yb,Ca), and an outer layer (NaNdF4:Yb,Ca). The outer shell, enriched with Nd3+ sensitizer, augmented the near-infrared (NIR) photon absorption, whereas the intermediate shell, enriched with Yb3+, acted as a bridge for energy transfer from Nd3+ to Er3+ emitter in the inner core alongside with precluding any deleterious energy back-transfer from Er3+ or quenching effect from Nd3+. These unique structural and compositional properties of UCCKs endowed the UCL intensity of UCCKs by 22 and 10 times higher than that of hexagonal UCNP core (NaYF4:Yb,Er,Ca) and hexagonal UCNP core-shell (NaYF4:Yb,Er,Ca@NaYF4:Yb,Ca), respectively. Intriguingly, the UCL intensity increased significantly with increasing the content of Nd3+ in the outer shell. The silica-coated UCCKs were used as excellent long-term luminescence probes for the in vitro bioimaging without any noteworthy cytotoxicity. The presented approach may pave the road for controlling the synthesis of multidimensional UCCKs for various applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] |
Sponsor | This work was financially supported by the CAS-TWAS president’s fellowship award for Ph.D. Students (series No2017-166). We also acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 61901438). |
Language | en |
Publisher | Springer |
Subject | Bioimaging Multilayered sand-clock-like nanostructures Ultrabright upconversion luminescence |
Type | Article |
Pagination | 1-13 |
Issue Number | 9 |
Volume Number | 187 |
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