A general strategy for biocompatible, high-effective upconversion nanocapsules based on triplet-triplet annihilation

J Am Chem Soc. 2013 Apr 3;135(13):5029-37. doi: 10.1021/ja3104268. Epub 2013 Mar 19.

Abstract

A general strategy for constructing high-effective upconversion nanocapsules based on triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) was developed by loading both sensitizer and annihilator into BSA-dextran stabilized oil droplets. This strategy can maintain high translational mobility of the chromophores, avoid luminescence quenching of chromophore by aggregation, and decrease the O2-induced quenching of TTA-based upconversion emission. Pt(II)-tetraphenyl-tetrabenzoporphyrin (PtTPBP) and BODIPY dyes (BDP-G and BDP-Y with the maximal fluorescence emission at 528 and 546 nm, respectively) were chosen as sensitizer/annihilator couples to fabricate green and yellow upconversion luminescent emissive nanocapsules, named UCNC-G and UCNC-Y, respectively. In water under the atmospheric environment, interestingly, UCNC-G and UCNC-Y exhibit intense upconversion luminescence (UCL) emission (λex = 635 nm) with the quantum efficiencies (ΦUCL) of 1.7% and 4.8%, respectively, whereas very weak UCL emission (ΦUCL < 0.1%) was observed for the corresponding previous reported SiO2-coating nanosystems because of aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching of annihilators. Furthermore, application of theses upconversion nanocapsules for high-contrast UCL bioimaging in vivo of living mice without removing the skin was demonstrated under 635-nm excitation with low power density of 12.5 mW cm(-2).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Capsules / chemistry
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Luminescent Agents / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanocapsules / chemistry*
  • Oils / chemistry
  • Platinum / chemistry*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry
  • Solubility
  • Soybean Oil / chemistry
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Boron Compounds
  • Capsules
  • Luminescent Agents
  • Nanocapsules
  • Oils
  • Water
  • Platinum
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Soybean Oil