Junwei Zhao,Jian Wu,Junfei Xue,Qiannan Zhu,Weihai Ni
Graphical Colloidal superparticles (SPs) are nanoparticle (NP) assemblies in the form of colloidal particles. Assembling nanoscopic objects into mesoscopic or macroscopic composite architectures allows for the bottom-up fabrication of functional nanomaterials. In this study, a method for single-step self-assembly synthesis of Au/NaYF 4 : Yb,Er SPs was developed using oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions to simultaneously encapsulate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and NaYF 4 : Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) via evaporation at room temperature. The synthesized Au/NaYF 4 : Yb,Er SPs possess good dispersibility and stability. When the number of AuNPs added is increased, the SPs exhibit decreased upconversion luminescence, which can be ascribed to the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the NaYF 4 : Yb,Er UCNPs to the AuNPs. Time-resolved measurements of the green emission further confirm the existence of a new decay route corresponding to the FRET process. Our research provides a facile and versatile strategy for the synthesis of novel multifunctional nanocomposites with tunable upconversion luminescence properties, which can be of great significance in biological applications.
A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) cytosensor was proposed for the quantitative detection of HeLa cells (human cervical cancer cells) with the help of a signal amplification strategy. Firstly, the Au-NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocomposites were prepared by a simple in situ hydrothermal method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, UV-vis spectra and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Compared with the bare NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocomposites, the ECL intensity of Au-NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocomposites was greatly enhanced by about 4.2-fold which can be attributed to the good conductivity of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). The nanocomposites showed high and stable ECL emission, fast response and superior conductivity, all of which were advantageous to the ECL detection. Furthermore, HeLa cells were immobilized on the modified electrode via the interaction between folic acid and a folate receptor present on the cell surface. The ECL cytosensor showed satisfactory sensitive response to HeLa cells in a linear range of 4.25 × 102–4.25 × 105 cells per mL with a low detection limit of 326 cells per mL. The proposed cytosensor had good sensitivity and stability, which can offer a great potential platform for bioassay analysis.