Bright YAG:Ce Nanorod Phosphors Prepared via a Partial Wet Chemical Route and Biolabeling Applications

Cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) nanorods were prepared via a partial wet chemical route followed by a calcination process by using Al2O3 nanorods as both templates and the reactant. These novel well-crystallized YAG:Ce phosphors with a 200-300 nm diameter and a 2-3 μm length have a high specific surface area while being virtually devoid of surface defects. The YAG:Ce nanorod phosphors possess good luminescent properties compared with granular YAG:Ce phosphors. Photoluminescence quantum yields of YAG:Ce nanorod phosphors are higher than those of granular ones. The YAG:Ce nanorod phosphors exhibit two luminescent decay times due to their unique morphology. The YAG:Ce nanorods exhibited good cytocompatibility with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and can be used as biolabel nanoparticles in bioimaging.