Tm3+-doped upconversion nanoparticles water probing

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2023-11, Vol.394, p.134424, Article 134424
• Main Authors: Wang, Jie, Liu, Yize, Mao, Zhijian, Wang, Jiaqi, Liu, Kun, Jiang, Junfeng, Liu, Tiegen, Cheng, Zhenzhou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Luminescence; Nanomaterials; Rare-earth-doped materials; Upconversion; Water molecules probing
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2023.134424

Water probing based on lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) has aroused great interest due to the advantages of high photostability, short response time, no autofluorescence background, and low toxicity. Compared with widely used Er3+-doped UCNPs, Tm3+-doped UCNPs are not considered as efficient water probes due to the phonon energy mismatch. Here, we demonstrate the water probing based on Tm3+-doped UCNPs with excellent sensitivity and linearity, and reveal that the fractional photon-assisted Förster resonance energy transfer could play a significant role in the mechanism. The recorded sensitivities of up to 6.141%/vol% and 3.932%/vol% were achieved for the hydrogen oxide and deuterium oxide detection. Based on the developed UCNPs, we developed two sensing devices, namely, an UCNPs-coated micro-fiber and UCNPs-embedded silk, for distributed and wearable humidity sensing. Our study opens an unprecedented avenue to develop real-time, high-sensitivity, high-stability, biocompatible water probes serving the fields of cytobiology, pharmaceutics, environmental health and safety, fine chemical industry, and precision agriculture. •The developed Tm3+-doped UCNPs exhibited intriguing upconversion luminescence spectra.•The recorded sensitivities of up to 6.141%/vol% and 3.932%/vol% were achieved for H2O/D2O detection.•UCNPs-coated micro-fiber and UCNPs-embedded silk were prepared for moisture monitoring.