Shape-controllable synthesis of silica coated core/shell upconversion nanomaterials and rapid imaging of latent fingerprints

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2018-08, Vol.266, p.19-25
• Main Authors: Wang, Lijia, Gu, Wenhong, An, Zhengbin, Cai, Qingyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis; Fingerprints; Fluorescence; Fluorides; Forensic engineering; Latent fingerprints; Morphology; Nanodumbbell; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Nanowires; Reagents; Shape-controllable; Signal to noise ratio; Silica; Silicon dioxide; Sodium compounds; Stability; Upconversion
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.03.084

[Display omitted] Upconversion material NaYF4@SiO2 in morphologies of uniform nanodumbbells, nanowires or nanorods were synthesized via a simple two-step method. The shape of the nanomaterials could be controlled by tuning the ratio of NaYF4 nanorods to silica as a result of the oriented attachment mechanism. The NaYF4@SiO2 nanodumbbells demonstrated advantage over commercial fluorescence reagents in rapid latent fingerprint imaging due to effectively circumvent luminescence quenching, high signal-to-noise ratio, and excellent photostability. •The synthesis of upconversion material NaYF4@SiO2 (nanodumbbells, nanowires or nanorods) via a simple two-step method.•The shape of the nanomaterials controlled by tuning the ratio of NaYF4 nanorods to silica only.•The NaYF4@SiO2 nanodumbbells demonstrated advantage over commercial fluorescence reagents in rapid latent fingerprint imaging on various substrates. Upconversion nanomaterials with complex morphologies have attracted considerable interests due to morphology-dependent properties. In this work, silica coated-NaYF4 upconversion nanomaterials (NaYF4@SiO2) of various shapes – nanorods, nanodumbbell and nanowire – were synthesized through controlling the ratio of NaYF4 nanorods to silica. The nanodumbbell and nanowire morphologies showed much higher fluorescence efficiency than that of nanorod. These upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibited a high signal-to-noise ratio, effectively circumvent luminescence quenching and excellent photo-stability under 980 nm excitation. In particular, the as-prepared nanodumbbells were successfully applied to rapid latent fingerprint imaging, showing advantages over commercial fluorescence reagents. Such nanoparticles with further modification are expected to have a great potential in forensic and biological sciences.