Persistent luminescent NaYTi2O6: Cr activated in the near-infrared bio-imaging window as a self-luminescent ceramic coating for visible Ti-implant in vivo

Most of near-infrared (NIR) persistent luminescence (PersL) materials can only be activated by ultra violet-visible light illumination or X-ray irradiation, which hinders their advanced biomedical applications. Herein, NaYTi 2 O 6 : Cr, with a typical double-metal perovskite structure, is developed with ∼758 nm emission after being excited by 700 nm light within the NIR bio-imaging window. This NIR-to-NIR PersL property can be repeatedly charged by 700 nm NIR illumination in situ and in vivo . The anti-cite disorder of Na + -Y 3+ pair and relatively low bandgap of NaYTi 2 O 6 matrix are the vital factors of this property. NaYTi 2 O 6 : Cr has great potential to be applied as a functional ceramic coating in designing self-luminescent medical Ti-implants, so that it can be imaged in vivo by using NIR PersL imaging rather than conducting risky X-ray fluoroscopy imaging. This conceptual work not only provides a NIR-to-NIR PersL biomaterial but also is significant in designing visible medical implants.