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Synthesis of biocompatible and luminescent NaGdF4:Yb,Er@ Carbon nanoparticles in water-in-oil microemulsion

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Abstract

Here we present a microemulsion route to prepare core-shell structured NaGdF4:Yb,Er@Carbon nanoparticles, in which a thin layer of hydrophilic carbon was covered on hydrophobic NaGdF4:Yb, Er nanocrystals. The prepared NaGdF4:Yb,Er@Carbon nanoparticles were uniform in a size of 25 nm, water-dispersible, and displayed good biocompatibility and strong upconversion fluorescence. Their potential for use as efficient cell-imaging probes is also demonstrated.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from National Nature Science Foundation of China (20901068) and Zhejiang Qianjiang Talent Project. The authors also thank Dr. Huichen Guo at National University of Singapore for her help in the cell-imaging experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Physics, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321004, People’s Republic of China

    Xinghui Liu, Zeye Wang & Zhengquan Li

  2. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321004, People’s Republic of China

    Limin Wang

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  1. Xinghui Liu
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  2. Limin Wang
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  3. Zeye Wang
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  4. Zhengquan Li
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Correspondence to Zhengquan Li.

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Liu, X., Wang, L., Wang, Z. et al. Synthesis of biocompatible and luminescent NaGdF4:Yb,Er@ Carbon nanoparticles in water-in-oil microemulsion. Journal of Materials Research 26, 82–87 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2010.36

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