Heterogenous Core-Shell Persistent Luminescent Nanoparticles with Enhanced Afterglow Luminescence

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Persistent luminescent nanoparticles (PLNPs) exhibit afterglow luminescence, making them suitable for bioapplications.
• Surface quenching in PLNPs leads to reduced afterglow intensity.
• Existing homogeneous core-shell structures offer limited improvement in luminescence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of heterogeneous core-shell structures on PLNP luminescence.
• To enhance afterglow luminescence by minimizing shell absorption and emission.
• To develop PLNPs with improved performance for bioimaging and sensing.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized heterogeneous core-shell PLNPs using ZnGa2O4 and Zn2GeO4 shells on specific core materials.
• Fabricated traditional homogeneous core-shell PLNPs for comparison.
• Characterized the luminescent properties of both types of core-shell structures.

Main Results:

• Heterogeneous core-shell PLNPs demonstrated significant enhancement in afterglow luminescence.
• The higher band gap shell in heterogeneous structures improved energy transfer to the core.
• Performance surpassed that of homogeneous core-shell PLNPs.

Conclusions:

• Heterogeneous core-shell design is an effective strategy to overcome surface quenching in PLNPs.
• This approach significantly boosts afterglow luminescence for enhanced bioapplication potential.
• The findings pave the way for advanced luminescent nanomaterials.