A hybrid strategy to enhance small-sized upconversion nanocrystals

Luo, Y; Luo, Y; Liu, Y; Huang, Y; Yu, P; Ma, H; Li, X; Zhang, Z; Zhang, C; Chen, C; Gale, PA; Bao, G

A hybrid strategy to enhance small-sized upconversion nanocrystals

Luo, Y Luo, Y Liu, Y Huang, Y Yu, P Ma, H Li, X Zhang, Z Zhang, C Chen, C

Gale, PA Bao, G

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2025, 271, pp. 117003
Issue Date:: 2025-03-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Luo, Y
dc.contributor.author	Luo, Y
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Y
dc.contributor.author	Huang, Y
dc.contributor.author	Yu, P
dc.contributor.author	Ma, H
dc.contributor.author	Li, X
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, Z
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, C
dc.contributor.author	Chen, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5613-2622
dc.contributor.author	Gale, PA
dc.contributor.author	Bao, G https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5103-5009
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-13T05:31:34Z
dc.date.available	2025-01-13T05:31:34Z
dc.date.issued	2025-03-01
dc.identifier.citation	Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2025, 271, pp. 117003
dc.identifier.issn	0956-5663
dc.identifier.issn	1873-4235
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183388
dc.description.abstract	Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are characterized by high photostability, narrow spectral bands, excellent tuneability, and low biotoxicity, facilitating a broad range of biomedical applications. However, the small size required in many biological applications implies a lower luminescent brightness, as large surface-to-volume ratio is always accompanied with severe surface quenching. Herein, we introduce a strategy to overcome the surface quenching by incorporating an acceptor dye, sulforhodamine B (SRB) to surpass energy relaxation on long-lived lanthanide excited states. The surface modification of SRB led to up to 98.8% energy transfer efficiency, accompanied with the emergence of an intense SRB emission, with four orders of magnitude of change in the SRB/UCNPs emission ratio. The further structural optimisation led to an 8-fold upconversion emission enhancement. Moreover, the system exhibits excellent photostability, with only a 25% reduction over 2 h under intense irradiation. By incorporating a pH responsive 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (5-TAMRA) to the UCNPs, we achieved a self-referencing protochromic sensor that are specific to protons and resistant to interference from various metal ions. This work provides a facile method for enhancing small-sized nanocrystals for potential biomedical sensing and imaging applications.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Biosensors and Bioelectronics
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.bios.2024.117003
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	0301 Analytical Chemistry, 0903 Biomedical Engineering, 1007 Nanotechnology
dc.subject.classification	Bioinformatics
dc.subject.classification	3401 Analytical chemistry
dc.subject.classification	4003 Biomedical engineering
dc.subject.classification	4018 Nanotechnology
dc.title	A hybrid strategy to enhance small-sized upconversion nanocrystals
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	271
utslib.for	0301 Analytical Chemistry
utslib.for	0903 Biomedical Engineering
utslib.for	1007 Nanotechnology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Electrical and Data Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2026-11-29T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2025-01-13T05:31:32Z
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	271

Abstract:

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are characterized by high photostability, narrow spectral bands, excellent tuneability, and low biotoxicity, facilitating a broad range of biomedical applications. However, the small size required in many biological applications implies a lower luminescent brightness, as large surface-to-volume ratio is always accompanied with severe surface quenching. Herein, we introduce a strategy to overcome the surface quenching by incorporating an acceptor dye, sulforhodamine B (SRB) to surpass energy relaxation on long-lived lanthanide excited states. The surface modification of SRB led to up to 98.8% energy transfer efficiency, accompanied with the emergence of an intense SRB emission, with four orders of magnitude of change in the SRB/UCNPs emission ratio. The further structural optimisation led to an 8-fold upconversion emission enhancement. Moreover, the system exhibits excellent photostability, with only a 25% reduction over 2 h under intense irradiation. By incorporating a pH responsive 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (5-TAMRA) to the UCNPs, we achieved a self-referencing protochromic sensor that are specific to protons and resistant to interference from various metal ions. This work provides a facile method for enhancing small-sized nanocrystals for potential biomedical sensing and imaging applications.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183388