Hybrid lanthanide nanoparticles with paramagnetic shell coated on upconversion fluorescent nanocrystals.
Nanoparticles comprising of fluorescent probes and MRI contrast agents are highly desirable for biomedical applications due to their ability to be detected at different modes, optically and magnetically. However, most fluorescent probes in such nanoparticles synthesized so far are down-conversion phosphors such as organic dyes and quantum dots, which are known to display many intrinsic limitations. Here, we report a core-shell hybrid lanthanide nanoparticle consisting of an upconverting lanthanide nanocrystal core and a paramagnetic lanthanide complex shell. These nanoparticles are uniform in size, stable in water, and show both high MR relaxivities and upconversion fluorescence, which may have the potential to serve as a versatile imaging tool for smart detection or diagnosis in future biomedical engineering.
Li
Zhengquan
Z
Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore,7 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117574.
Zhang
Yong
Y
Shuter
Borys
B
Muhammad Idris
Niagara
N
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000737:chemistry; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008280:Magnetics; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements; C525362:sodium yttriumtetrafluoride; D014867:Water; D015019:Yttrium; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D005682:Gadolinium; D005459:Fluorides