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Updated: Jul 1, 2025

Triplet Fusion Upconversion Nanocapsule Synthesis
Published on: September 7, 2022
EuIII and TbIII upconversion intermediated by interparticle energy transfer in functionalized NaLnF4 nanoparticles
Sergio Fernando Nunes Coelho1, Airton Germano Bispo-Jr1, Nagyla Alves de Oliveira1
1Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Unicamp, Josué de Castro Street, Cidade Universitária, Campinas, 13083-970, Brazil. fsigoli@unicamp.br.
This study demonstrates efficient visible upconversion of lanthanide ions using interparticle energy transfer between functionalized nanoparticles. This novel approach enhances luminescence and enables development of sensitive luminescent temperature probes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Luminescence
Background:
- Lanthanide-doped sodium gadolinium tetrafluoride (NaGdF4) nanoparticles are promising for anti-counterfeiting and energy conversion.
- Visible upconversion of EuIII and TbIII is of significant interest, with core@shell architectures and interfacial energy transfer showing potential.
- Interparticle energy transfer (IPET) offers an alternative but faces limitations due to low lanthanide molar absorptivity and nanoparticle distance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overcome limitations of IPET for visible upconversion of EuIII and TbIII using functionalized nanoparticles.
- To investigate the role of organic ligands on acceptor nanoparticles in enhancing IPET efficiency.
- To explore the application of this system in developing luminescent temperature probes.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of TmIII, YbIII-doped NaGdF4 (donor) and EuIII/TbIII-doped NaGdF4 (acceptor) nanoparticles.
- Functionalization of acceptor nanoparticles with organic ligands (tta-, acac-, or 3,5-bbza-).
- Characterization of upconversion luminescence under 980 nm excitation in solid state and suspension.
- Analysis of donor level lifetimes to elucidate energy transfer mechanisms (non-radiative and radiative).
Main Results:
- Visible EuIII/TbIII upconversion was achieved via IPET between functionalized donor and acceptor nanoparticles.
- Organic ligands on acceptor nanoparticles enhanced IPET efficiency by overcoming lanthanide absorption limitations.
- Spectroscopic evidence confirmed both non-radiative and radiative contributions to the IPET mechanism.
- The developed system demonstrated suitability as a luminescence temperature probe with high relative thermal sensitivity (1.67% K-1 at 373 K).
Conclusions:
- Functionalization of nanoparticles with organic ligands is an effective strategy to enhance IPET for visible lanthanide upconversion.
- This study presents a new pathway for tuning visible upconversion of lanthanide ions.
- The developed system holds promise for advanced applications, including highly sensitive luminescent thermometry.
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