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Published on: November 10, 2017
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Facile synthesis of upconversion nanoparticles with high purity using lanthanide oleate compounds
Ning Kang1, Chao-Chao Ai1, Ya-Ming Zhou1
1Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University/Research Center of Biomedical Engineering of Xiamen, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China.
Nanotechnology
|October 31, 2017
Summary
A new method using lanthanide oleate (Ln-OA) precursors yields highly pure, uniform upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). This approach simplifies purification and enhances nanoparticle applications in biomedical fields.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemistry
Background:
- Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are crucial for bioimaging and sensing.
- Current synthesis methods, like the lanthanide chloride (Ln-Cl) approach, often result in impurities and require extensive purification.
- Developing efficient and scalable synthesis routes for high-purity UCNPs is essential for advancing their applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel, highly efficient method for synthesizing pure NaYF4-based upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).
- To compare the efficacy of the new lanthanide oleate (Ln-OA) precursor method against the conventional lanthanide chloride (Ln-Cl) method.
- To demonstrate the advantages of the Ln-OA method in terms of purity, purification ease, and size uniformity for UCNP synthesis.
Main Methods:
- Developed a new synthesis strategy using lanthanide oleate compounds [Ln(OA)3] as precursors for NaYF4-based UCNPs.
- Synthesized core and core-shell UCNPs using the novel Ln-OA preparation method.
- Compared the resulting UCNPs with those prepared via the conventional solvothermal method using lanthanide chloride compounds (LnCl3).
Main Results:
- The Ln-OA preparation method successfully produced highly pure NaYF4-based UCNPs.
- UCNPs synthesized via the Ln-OA method exhibited uniform particle size.
- This method significantly reduced the purification process compared to the conventional Ln-Cl method.
- The synthesized UCNPs were effectively excited by 980 or 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) lasers.
Conclusions:
- The novel Ln-OA strategy offers a superior alternative for preparing high-purity, uniform NaYF4-based UCNPs.
- This method simplifies the synthesis and purification of UCNPs, making them more accessible for applications.
- The findings provide new insights into UCNP preparation and promote their use in biomedical fields.
