Recent advances in lanthanide-doped upconversion nanomaterials: synthesis, nanostructures and surface modification

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Rare-earth ions-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) possess unique photophysical properties, including long luminescence lifetime, narrow emission bandwidths, high quantum yields, and low toxicity.
• UCNPs enable the conversion of near-infrared (NIR) light to visible light (upconversion luminescence, UCL), distinguishing them from traditional UV-excited fluorescence labels like organic dyes and quantum dots.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in the synthesis of UCNPs.
• To discuss the fabrication and optimization of UCNP particle morphology.
• To highlight the latest developments in UCNP applications for multimode imaging, surface passivation, and functionalization.

Main Methods:

• Detailed review of several typical UCNP synthesis methods.
• Analysis of fabrication and optimization strategies for particle morphology.
• Examination of recent advancements in UCNP surface passivation and functionalization techniques.

Main Results:

• UCNPs exhibit significant potential for biomedical applications, including bio-medical labeling and drug delivery carriers.
• Effective synthesis methods and morphological control are crucial for optimizing UCNP performance.
• UCNPs are increasingly utilized in advanced multimode imaging due to their unique UCL properties.

Conclusions:

• UCNPs represent a promising class of nanomaterials for diverse biomedical applications.
• Continued research into synthesis, morphology, and functionalization will further enhance UCNP utility.
• UCNPs offer a superior alternative to traditional labels for bio-imaging and therapeutic strategies.