Synthesis and characterization of UCNP@ZIF-8 core-shell systems coated with liposomes

• Grant number: 25/23315-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Program to Stimulate Scientific Vocations
• Start date: February 28, 2026
• End date: April 06, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Sidney José Lima Ribeiro
• Grantee: Jéssica Maria Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The development of biocompatible nanocarriers has proven strategic for applications in biomedicine, photonics, and sensing, enabling the combination of therapeutic and diagnostic functions in a single platform. Hybrid systems integrating luminescent nanoparticles and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), highly versatile porous structures, offer potential for controlling stability, surface functionality, and optical properties, in addition to enabling the delivery and controlled release of drugs, expanding their applicability in various areas of nanotechnology. The project aims to develop and characterize hybrid systems based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) encapsulated in metal-organic frameworks (ZIF-8) with a core-shell structure, already extensively studied by the group, now focusing on liposome coating to improve stability and functionality. UCNPs (NaYF¿:Yb³¿,Er³¿) will be synthesized by thermal coprecipitation, and ZIF-8 will be formed on them, creating the core-shell structure. Liposomal coating will be obtained by hydration of the lipid film, promoting vesicles that encapsulate the UCNP@ZIF-8, conferring colloidal stability and tunable surface properties. Physicochemical and photonic characterization will be performed using techniques established in the group, including XRD, TEM, SEM, FTIR, TGA, DLS, zeta potential, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, allowing the evaluation of structural integrity, morphology, stability, and optical properties. It is expected to obtain a stable and luminescent hybrid system, with preserved core-shell morphology and efficient liposomal coating, which will serve as a platform for new applications in photonics, sensing and nanotechnology, in addition to providing the scholarship holder with practical experience in advanced physicochemical and photonic characterization techniques. (AU)