Glassy and ceramic multifunctional luminescent nanosystems for applications in thermometry and oximetry

• Grant number: 21/01170-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Hellmut Eckert
• Grantee: Pedro Felipe Garcia Martins da Costa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07793-6 - CEPIV - Center for Teaching, Research and Innovation in Glass, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/07051-1 - Development of luminescent probes based on lanthanide nanoparticles and quantum dots for thermometry, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The development of remote thermal sensors has attracted much attention in the last decade for temperature monitoring in the microscopic level for the control of biological functions, detection of fires, monitoring of corrosive and electromagnetic environments, etc. Among the possibilities for remote measurement, emphasis is given on the optical techniques that rely on spectral changes induced by temperature variations. Luminescence thermometry explores the dependence of spectral position, bandwidth, intensity, polarization or excited state lifetimes on temperature. Particularly, the Fluorescence Intensity Ratio (FIR) thermometry is the most explored technique, especially in the visible spectral region, because it does not depend on the sample concentration, alignment or excitation power. Less commonly studied is the FIR thermometry in the infrared, taking advantage of the Rare Earth (RE) ions Nd3+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ emissions. For this reason, we propose the study of NaYF4 nanoparticles doped with these ions. the core-shell NPs will be covered with silica layers that will serve as a platform to immobilize quantum dots (QDs) of CdTe e CdS, whose visible emissions respond more sensitively to the presence of molecular oxygen. The QDs that will compose the ""shell"" of the multifunctional NPs are extremely versatile optical probes but present the disadvantages of requiring critical and complicated synthesis conditions, colloidal instability in aqueous media and toxicity in biological media. On the other hand, the incorporation of these species in solid host matrices warrants biocompatibility and the stability of the material in aqueous solution. Taking a step further, in order to secure the versatility of device application, in the bulk or film form, the core-shell NPs will be dispersed in glassy matrices obtained by sol gel methodology. This approach has been successfully used in LEMAF to immobilize YAP:Ce particles in luminescent bulk composites. It is worth mentioning that, besides the main aim of this project which is to obtain multifunctional NPs combining different luminescent species (NaYF4:RE NPs and QDs) - which will be obtained and characterized initially individually, these nanostructures will also serve the research for other possible application such as bioimaging, solar cell efficiency enhancement, development of molecular switches and high order harmonic generation in QD plasmons. Recently, LEMAF has established collaborations with research groups in the University of Münster, Germany, led by Prof. Cornelia Denz (Physics, organic solar cells), Prof. Cristian Strassert (Chemistry, bioimaging), Prof. Bart Jan Ravoo (Nanomaterials, molecular switches) and Prof. Helmut Zacharias (Physics, harmonic generation). The samples obtained in this project will be provided to these research groups giving the opportunity to the student to maximize the application of his materials and his learning opportunities, which can include a scientific internship in Germany or other Country. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA COSTA, P. F. G. M.; MERIZIO, L. G.; WOLFF, N.; TERRASCHKE, H.; DE CAMARGO, A. S. S.. Real-time monitoring of CdTe quantum dots growth in aqueous solution. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 14, n. 1, p. 11-pg., 2024-04-03. (22/07667-0, 21/01170-3, 13/07793-6, 19/21770-5, 20/05627-5)

ARAI, MARYLYN S.; DE CAMARGO, ANDREA S. S.. Exploring the use of upconversion nanoparticles in chemical and biological sensors: from surface modifications to point-of-care devices. NANOSCALE ADVANCES, v. 3, n. 18, JUL 2021. (13/07793-6, 19/12588-9, 21/01170-3)

ARAI, MARYLYN SETSUKO; KIM, HYUNHO; PASCAVIS, MADELEINE; CHA, BAEKDONG; BRAMBILLA, GABRIEL; CHO, YOUNG KWAN; PARK, JINHO; VILELA, RAQUEL R. C.; DE CAMARGO, ANDREA S. S.; CASTRO, CESAR M.; et al. Upconverting Nanoparticle-based Enhanced Luminescence Lateral-Flow Assay for Urinary Biomarker Monitoring. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, v. 16, n. 29, p. 9-pg., 2024-07-09. (13/07793-6, 21/01170-3, 19/12588-9, 21/11531-3)