The synergistically improved afterglow and magnetic resonance imaging induced by Gd3+ doping in ZGGO:Cr3+ nanoparticles

• Published in: Materials research bulletin Vol. 113; pp. 122 - 132
• Main Authors: Gong, Zheng, Yang, Jian, Zhu, Hancheng, Yan, Duanting, Liu, Chunguang, Xu, Changshan, Liu, Yuxue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Luminescence; Optical property; Optical property; Luminescence
• ISSN: 0025-5408; 1873-4227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2019.01.031

[Display omitted] •ZGGO:Cr,Gd nanoparticles with afterglow and magnetic properties were prepared.•How Gd3+ doping influences the optical and storage properties was discussed.•High-quality afterglow imaging was demonstrated using amino-coated nanoparticles.•High-quality in vitro T1-weigthed MR images were acquired. Gd3+ and Cr3+ codoped zinc gallogermanate (ZGGO:Cr3+, Gd3+) nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal method in combination with a subsequent vacuum annealing. It is found that Gd3+ doping not only endows ZGGO:Cr3+ nanoparticles with magnetic property, but also results in the decreased nanoparticle size and the enhanced near infrared (NIR) afterglow intensity. Strikingly, amino group functionalized SiO2 layer coating enabling Gd3+ doped ZGGO:Cr3+ nanoparticles well dispersed in water enhances persistent luminescence which is because of the weakened quenching effect of OH− groups in water. Validation of high-quality bioimaging was demonstrated using the surface functionalized Gd3+ doped ZGGO:Cr3+ nanoparticles dispersed in human serum albumin (HSA). In particular, it is found that the longitudinal relaxivity (7.33 s−1(mM)−1) of Gd3+ doped ZGGO:Cr3+ nanoparticles is higher than that of commercial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent (Gd-DTPA) and it leads to the high-quality in vitro T1-weigthed images.