Issue 2, 2013

Interface-assisted ionothermal synthesis, phase tuning, surface modification and bioapplication of Ln3+-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals

Abstract

Phase-selective synthesis of trivalent lanthanide-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals, capped by ionic liquid cations bearing long alkyl chains, succeeded via a one-step interface-assisted ionothermal route. Owing to the existence of an interface formed between hydrophobic ionic liquids and ethylene glycol, selectively either pure cubic or hexagonal phase NaGdF4 could be obtained by changing the amount of the added surfactant, polyethyleneimine. By doping various trivalent lanthanide cations, multicolor emissions under excitation by a single wavelength could be achieved. The nanocrystals can be surface derivatized by an amphiphilic polymer and endowed with functional groups that allow the particles to not only be dispersed in aqueous solutions but also present biocompatibility. After conjugation with biotin, the nanocrystals could be used for time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer biodetection.

Graphical abstract: Interface-assisted ionothermal synthesis, phase tuning, surface modification and bioapplication of Ln3+-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 Aug 2012
Accepted
12 Sep 2012
First published
17 Sep 2012

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2013,1, 179-185

Interface-assisted ionothermal synthesis, phase tuning, surface modification and bioapplication of Ln3+-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals

Q. Ju, P. S. Campbell and A. Mudring, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2013, 1, 179 DOI: 10.1039/C2TB00052K

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