A highly efficient multifunctional nanoplatform for simultaneous upconversion luminescence (UCL) imaging and photodynamic therapy has been developed on the basis of selective energy transfer from multicolor luminescent NaYF(4):Yb(3+),Er(3+) upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to photosensitizers (PS). Different from popular approaches based on electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions, over 100 photosensitizing molecules were covalently bonded to every 20 nm UCNP, which significantly strengthened the UCNP-PS linkage and reduced the probability of leakage/desorption of the PS. Over 80% UCL was transferred to PS, and the singlet oxygen production was readily detected by its feature emission at 1270 nm. Tests performed on JAR choriocarcinoma and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells verified the efficient endocytosis and photodynamic effect of the nanoplatform with 980 nm irradiation specific to JAR cancer cells. Our work highlights the promise of using UCNPs for potential image-guided cancer photodynamic therapy.

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3-Mercaptopropionic acid stabilized CdTe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) were prepared in an aqueous solution following the synthetic route of successive ion layer adsorption and reaction. The photoluminescence quantum yield of the CdTe QDs could reach 40%, from 8% of the bare core, via the control of the shell thickness. The CdTe/CdS QDs exhibited also a significant red shift of emission and excitation peaks when the shell layer grew. The experiments revealed that the CdTe/CdS QDs evolved from type I to type II core/shell structures with the increase of the shell thickness, and the evolution process is affected by the core size, shell thickness, surface quality of the core and shell, as unraveled by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy. The lack of photoluminescence lifetime lengthening was ascribed to the surface influence of the shell.