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Core-shell upconversion nanoparticles of type NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Nd,Yb and sensitized with a NIR dye are a viable probe for luminescence determination of the fraction of water in organic solvents

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Abstract

Lanthanide-doped core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) of type NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Yb,Nd were prepared by the co-precipitation method. The luminescence intensity was further enhanced by adding the sensitizer dye IR-808. If water is added to organic solvents [such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and ethanol] containing the probe, its luminescence intensity peaking at 545 nm is reduced. The decrease is linearly related to the percentage of water in the respective organic solvent. Water fractions ranging from 0.05% to 10% (volume %) can be sensitively detected, and the detection limit is 0.018% of water in DMF. The detection scheme is mainly attributed to the fact that the transfer of energy from the near-infrared light (NIR) dye to the UCNPs is strongly reduced in the presence of traces of water.

The near infrared dye (IR-808) transfer efficiency to NaGdF4:Yb, Er@NaGdF4:Yb, Nd upconversion nanoparticles in water is far less than that in organic phase. Several methods for determination of trace water in organic solvents were developed by using this effect.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by natural science foundation of China (21675002), the education commission natural science foundation of Anhui Province (KJ2017ZD25), foundation for innovation team of bioanalytical chemistry and Special and Excellent Research Fund of Anhui Normal University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anhui Key Laboratory of Chemo-Biosensing, Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, People’s Republic of China

    Wen Wang, Mingying Zhao, Lun Wang & Hongqi Chen

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  1. Wen Wang
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Correspondence to Lun Wang or Hongqi Chen.

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Wang, W., Zhao, M., Wang, L. et al. Core-shell upconversion nanoparticles of type NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Nd,Yb and sensitized with a NIR dye are a viable probe for luminescence determination of the fraction of water in organic solvents. Microchim Acta 186, 630 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-019-3744-7

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