Temperature Sensing Properties of Biocompatible Yb/Er-Doped GdF and YF Mesocrystals.

YGdF:Yb/Er mesocrystals with a biocompatible surface and diverse morphological characteristics were successfully synthesized using chitosan-assisted solvothermal processing. Their structural properties, studied using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, were further correlated with the up-conversion emission (λ = 976 nm) recorded in function of temperature. Based on the change in the visible green emissions originating from the thermally coupled H and S levels of Er, the corresponding LIR was acquired in the physiologically relevant range of temperatures (25-50 °C).

Tetracycline Removal through the Synergy of Catalysis and Photocatalysis by Novel NaYF:Yb,Tm@TiO-Acetylacetone Hybrid Core-Shell Structures.

Novel hybrid core-shell structures, in which up-converting (UC) NaYF:Yb,Tm core converts near-infrared (NIR) to visible (Vis) light via multiphoton up-conversion processes, while anatase TiO-acetylacetonate (TiO-Acac) shell ensures absorption of the Vis light through direct injection of excited electrons from the highest-occupied-molecular-orbital (HOMO) of Acac into the TiO conduction band (CB), were successfully synthesized by a two-step wet chemical route. Synthesized NaYF:Yb,Tm@TiO-Acac powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and photoluminescence emission measurement. Tetracycline, as a model drug, was used to investigate the photocatalytic efficiencies of the core-shell structures under irradiation of reduced power Vis and NIR spectra.

Enhancement of ZnO@RuO bifunctional photo-electro catalytic activity toward water splitting.

Catalytic materials are the greatest challenge for the commercial application of water electrolysis (WEs) and fuel cells (FCs) as clean energy technologies. There is a need to find an alternative to expensive and unavailable platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts. This study aimed to reduce the cost of PGM materials by replacing Ru with RuO and lowering the amount of RuO by adding abundant and multifunctional ZnO.

Synthesis and Biological Properties of Alanine-Grafted Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles.

Hydroxyapatite attracts great attention as hard tissues implant material for bones and teeth. Its application in reconstructive medicine depends on its biocompatibility, which is in a function of composition and surface properties. The insertion of a protein element in the composition of implants can improve the cell adhesion and the osseointegration.

Crystal Structure and Electrical Properties of Ruthenium-Substituted Calcium Copper Titanate.

This paper reports a detailed study of crystal structure and dielectric properties of ruthenium-substituted calcium-copper titanates (CaCuTiRuO, CCTRO). A series of three samples with different stoichiometry was prepared: CaCuTiRuO, = 0, 1 and 4, abbreviated as CCTO, CCT3RO and CCRO, respectively. A detailed structural analysis of CCTRO samples was done by the Rietveld refinement of XRPD data.

Rare-earth (Gd,Yb/Tm, Eu) co-doped hydroxyapatite as magnetic, up-conversion and down-conversion materials for multimodal imaging.

Taking advantage of the flexibility of the apatite structure, nano- and micro-particles of hydroxyapatite (HAp) were doped with different combinations of rare earth ions (RE = Gd, Eu, Yb, Tm) to achieve a synergy among their magnetic and optical properties and to enable their application in preventive medicine, particularly diagnostics based on multimodal imaging. All powders were synthesized through hydrothermal processing at T ≤ 200 °C. An X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that all powders crystallized in P6/m space group of the hexagonal crystal structure.

One-step synthesis of amino-functionalized up-converting NaYF:Yb,Er nanoparticles for cell imaging.

The emerging up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) offer a wide range of biotechnology applications, from biomarkers and deep tissue imaging, to single molecule tracking and drug delivery. Their successful conjugation to biocompatible agents is crucial for specific molecules recognition and usually requires multiple steps which may lead to low reproducibility. Here, we report a simple and rapid one-step procedure for synthesis of biocompatible amino-functionalized NaYF:Yb,Er UCNPs that could be used for NIR-driven fluorescence cell labeling.

NIR photo-driven upconversion in NaYF:Yb,Er/PLGA particles for in vitro bioimaging of cancer cells.

Lanthanide-doped fluoride up-converting nanoparticles (UCNPs) represent the new class of imaging contrast agents which hold great potential for overcoming existing problems associated with traditionally used dyes, proteins and quantum dots. In this study, a new kind of hybrid NaYF:Yb,Er/PLGA nanoparticles for efficient biolabeling were prepared through one-pot solvothermal synthesis route. Morphological and structural characteristics of the as-designed particles were obtained using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, while their cytotoxicity as well as up-conversion (UC) labeling capability were tested in vitro toward human gingival cells (HGC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).