title: Synthesis and properties of multifunctional tetragonal Eu:GdPO4 nanocubes for optical and magnetic resonance imaging applications.
abstract: A simple and fast (7 min) procedure for  synthesis of gadolinium phosphate nanocubes (edge = 75 nm) based on the microwave-assisted heating at 120 °C of gadolinium acetylacetonate and phosphoric acid solutions in buthylene glycol is reported. These nanocubes were highly crystalline and crystallized into a tetragonal structure, which has not been ever reported for pure gadolinium phosphate. Determination of such crystal structure has been carried out here for the first time in the literature by means of powder X-ray diffraction. The developed synthesis procedure was also successful for  preparation of multifunctional europium(III)-doped the gadolinium phosphate nanocubes, which were nontoxic for cells and exhibited strong red luminescence under UV illumination and high transverse relaxivity (r(2)) values. These properties confer them potential applications as biolabels for in vitro optical imaging and as negative contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Americo Vespucio 49, Isla de La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Liviano
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Becerro
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alcántara
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grazú
authors.forename: Jesus M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ocaña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010316:Particle Size; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D005063:Europium; D005682:Gadolinium