Nanostructured phosphors and core@shell systems containing rare earths: applications in biological labeling, lighting, and visualization

Abstract

The rare earths (RE=Sc, Y, La-Lu) present a remarkable importance in the field of luminescent materials, since these elements have unique optical properties which are applicable in several systems involving the generation of visible light. The compounds that are classically applied to this end in commercial devices generally enable essentially inorganic solids, such as phosphates, vanadates, fluorides, and aluminates. This is mainly due to their chemical inertia, since they are stable under different operation conditions, not to mention their structural rigidity and their high luminescence efficiencies. Among the recent applications of these materials, the elaboration of phosphors for new generation lighting and visualization devices, such as Hg-free fluorescent lamps, plasma display panels and LED-based lamps and displays, as well as the development of luminescent labels for biological systems, currently raise a great interest. It is also well known that the morphology of the solids plays a crucial role on their applicability, since their use involves the adaptation of their properties through the control of size and crystallinity of the nanostructures. Thus, the study of synthetic procedures which allow for manipulating the architecture of these nanostructures is a limiting step for the development of such applications. In this sense, this project aims at obtaining luminescent nanoparticles and core@shell heteronanostructures based on TRPO4, TRVO4, TRF3, MTRF4 (M=Na, Li), and TR3Al5O12 solids, as well as the study of their applicability as vacuum ultraviolet and LED phosphors, and luminescent labels in biological systems.