Synthesis of Up-Conversion CaTiO₃: Er³⁺ Films on Titanium by Anodization and Hydrothermal Method for Biomedical...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Calcium titanate (CaTiO₃) is a promising host material for phosphors.
• Erbium (Er³⁺) doping enables up-conversion luminescence, useful for bio-imaging and sensing.
• Developing novel phosphors with enhanced properties is crucial for advanced biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of Er³⁺ doping concentration on CaTiO₃ phosphor properties.
• To evaluate the up-conversion emission and microstructure of synthesized CaTiO₃: Er³⁺ films.
• To assess the potential of these phosphors in biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of CaTiO₃: x%Er³⁺ films (x = 0.5–3.0%) on Ti substrates at 200 °C for 24 h.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for microstructure analysis.
• Photoluminescence spectroscopy to study up-conversion emission under 980 nm excitation.
• Contact angle measurements for surface hydrophilicity and biocompatibility assays using baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells.

Main Results:

• Formation of cubic nanorod CaTiO₃: Er³⁺ films with sizes of 1–5 μm.
• Observation of strong green and weak red up-conversion emission bands (543, 661, 740 nm) from Er³⁺ ions.
• Demonstration of excellent surface hydrophilicity (contact angle ~zero) and good biocompatibility with BHK cells.

Conclusions:

• Er³⁺ doping content significantly influences the microstructure and up-conversion properties of CaTiO₃ phosphors.
• The synthesized CaTiO₃: Er³⁺ films exhibit desirable optical and surface properties for biomedical applications.
• These phosphors show potential as novel materials for various biomedical applications, including bio-imaging and diagnostics.