Issue 8, 2018

Luminescence enhancement of CaF2:Nd3+ nanoparticles in the second near-infrared window for in vivo imaging through Y3+ doping

Abstract

In vivo luminescent imaging in the second biological window (1000–1400 nm, NIR-II) has attracted increasing attention since it can provide high sensitivity to deep tissue in vivo imaging. Herein, we synthesized approximately 10–15 nm-sized NIR-II luminescent nanoparticles (CaF2:Nd3+ NPs). Furthermore, co-doped Y3+ was utilized to enhance the NIR-II luminescence of the CaF2:Nd3+ NPs via breaking the aggregation of Nd3+. The appearance of a (200) diffraction peak and the broadening of the interplanar spacing of the (111) plane both showed that the incorporated Y3+ can dissolve in CaF2 by occupying the Ca2+ sites to form a CaF2–YF3 solid solution. In particular, the addition of Y3+ can greatly enhance the of the NIR-II luminescence of CaF2:Nd3+ NPs. When the Y3+ doped concentration reached 0.30, the luminescence intensity of CaF2:Y3+,Nd3+ NPs was about 65 times that of CaF2:Nd3+ NPs. In addition, the quantum yield of Ca0.68Y0.30Nd0.02F2.32 NPs was 9.30% under the excitation of an 808 nm laser with 483 mW cm−2 power, which was about 3 times higher than that of CaF2:Nd3+ NPs (3.10%). The in vivo imaging results revealed that the in vivo imaging intensity of Ca0.68Y0.30Nd0.02F2.32 NPs was about 2.38-fold stronger than that of Ca0.98F2.02:Nd3+0.02 NPs. All of these results indicated that CaF2:Y3+,Nd3+ NPs can be regarded as potential in vivo imaging probes for biological imaging.

Graphical abstract: Luminescence enhancement of CaF2:Nd3+ nanoparticles in the second near-infrared window for in vivo imaging through Y3+ doping

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Nov 2017
Accepted
22 Jan 2018
First published
23 Jan 2018

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2018,6, 1238-1243

Luminescence enhancement of CaF2:Nd3+ nanoparticles in the second near-infrared window for in vivo imaging through Y3+ doping

Z. Yu, J. Shi, J. Li, P. Li and H. Zhang, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2018, 6, 1238 DOI: 10.1039/C7TB03052E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements