Issue 34, 2017

Upconversion nanoparticle-decorated gold nanoshells for near-infrared induced heating and thermometry

Abstract

The present work involves the design of a multifunctional system based on gold nanoshells (AuNSs) decorated with lanthanide-based upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) intended as an optical heater and a temperature probe at the nanoscale. The synthesis of NaGdF4 UCNPs doped with ions Yb3+:Er3+ was performed via thermal decomposition of lanthanide fluoride precursors at high temperatures (>300 °C) in the presence of a coordinating ligand (oleic acid). UCNPs were synthesized at three different temperatures (310, 315 and 320 °C) and characterized in terms of morphological, structural and emission properties. In view of the intended biological applications, the surface of hydrophobic oleate-capped UCNPs was modified using a silica coating to achieve sufficient water dispersibility, through a modified Stöber process using a reverse micro-emulsion method. Monodisperse NaGdF4:Yb3+:Er3+ upconversion nanocrystals (∼25 nm dia.) were obtained in cubic (at 310, 315 °C) and hexagonal (at 320 °C) phases. The UCNPs in the hexagonal phase were shown to be more suitable as temperature sensors, due to their lower red-to-green emission ratios and higher thermal sensitivities. The emission spectrum of NaGdF4:Yb3+:Er3+ (oleate- or silica-coated) UCNPs was recorded at different temperatures in the vicinity of the physiological range (20–70 °C) and presented suitable properties for application as temperature sensors, such as excellent linearity (r2 > 0.99) and sensitivity (>3 × 10−3 K−1). The heating capacity of AuNSs@UCNPs was verified by monitoring the Er3+ emission, showing their potential for application as a hyperthermia agent controlled using a nanothermometer function.

Graphical abstract: Upconversion nanoparticle-decorated gold nanoshells for near-infrared induced heating and thermometry

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 юни 2017
Accepted
01 авг 2017
First published
02 авг 2017

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017,5, 7109-7117

Upconversion nanoparticle-decorated gold nanoshells for near-infrared induced heating and thermometry

K. Nigoghossian, S. Ouellet, J. Plain, Y. Messaddeq, D. Boudreau and S. J. L. Ribeiro, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2017, 5, 7109 DOI: 10.1039/C7TB01621B

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