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Understanding shell coating effects to overcome quenching in single anisotropic upconversion nanoparticles

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  • Yangjian Cai

    (University of Technology Sydney)

  • Ming Lu

    (University of Technology Sydney)

  • Xian Qin

    (Fujian Normal University)

  • Dayong Jin

    (University of Technology Sydney)

  • Jiajia Zhou

    (University of Technology Sydney)

Abstract

Shell coating is known to suppress luminescence quenching in spherical upconversion nanoparticles. However, the emergence of anisotropic nanoparticles with facet-selective, directional growth complicates the coating process, and the use of traditional active, inert, or polymer coatings on such structures remains largely unexplored. Here, we synthesize a series of nanorods with designed geometries, enabling quantitative spectral analysis at the single-particle level. We observe that directional growth of inert or active shells at the rod tips enhances emission relative to the parent core, with their relative effectiveness governed by power density and shell thickness. Ligand presence—polymer or oleate—quenches upconversion relative to bare nanorods. Although local heating is observed at the single-particle level, it does not affect spectroscopic observations, ligand stability, or data reproducibility. Our findings reveal how directionally grown shells influence the optical properties of upconversion nanorods, providing essential insights for their future applications in bioimaging, sensing, and photonics.

Suggested Citation

  • Yangjian Cai & Ming Lu & Xian Qin & Dayong Jin & Jiajia Zhou, 2025. "Understanding shell coating effects to overcome quenching in single anisotropic upconversion nanoparticles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60347-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60347-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shihui Wen & Yongtao Liu & Fan Wang & Gungun Lin & Jiajia Zhou & Bingyang Shi & Yung Doug Suh & Dayong Jin, 2020. "Nanorods with multidimensional optical information beyond the diffraction limit," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Sanyang Han & Renren Deng & Qifei Gu & Limeng Ni & Uyen Huynh & Jiangbin Zhang & Zhigao Yi & Baodan Zhao & Hiroyuki Tamura & Anton Pershin & Hui Xu & Zhiyuan Huang & Shahab Ahmad & Mojtaba Abdi-Jalebi, 2020. "Lanthanide-doped inorganic nanoparticles turn molecular triplet excitons bright," Nature, Nature, vol. 587(7835), pages 594-599, November.
    3. Yanxin Zhang & Rongrong Wen & Jialing Hu & Daoming Guan & Xiaochen Qiu & Yunxiang Zhang & Daniel S. Kohane & Qian Liu, 2022. "Enhancement of single upconversion nanoparticle imaging by topologically segregated core-shell structure with inward energy migration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Andrea D. Pickel & Ayelet Teitelboim & Emory M. Chan & Nicholas J. Borys & P. James Schuck & Chris Dames, 2018. "Apparent self-heating of individual upconverting nanoparticle thermometers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
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