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Here, the facile synthesis of fluorescent ZrO2:Eu3+ nanoparticles with luminescence quantum yield of up to 8.7% that can be easily dispersed in organic solvents and utilized for the preparation of organic/inorganic volume holographic gratings is presented. The nanoparticles are prepared through a one‐step solvothermal process resulting in spherical particles with a mean size of 4 nm that were highly crystalline directly after the synthesis, without any need for calcination treatment. Detailed luminescence studies of the nanoparticles as a function of Eu3+ content demonstrate that the dopant concentration and its site symmetry play an important role in the emissive properties and lifetime of the luminescent centers. It is shown that the luminescence quantum yield of the colloidal ZrO2:Eu3+ nanoparticles increases with dopant concentration up to a critical concentration of 11 mol% while the luminescence lifetime is shortened from 1.8 to 1.4 ms. Holographic photopolymerization of suitable monomer mixtures containing the luminescent nanoparticles demonstrated the ability to inscribe volume Bragg gratings (refractive index contrast n1 up to 0.011) with light‐emissive properties, evidencing the high suitability of this approach for the fabrication of tailored nanomaterials for elaborate and demanding applications.

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A novel and effi cient method to produce water dispersible superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles is described. Nanoparticles prepared by non-hydrolytic organic phase methods are subsequently functionalized with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, a linker that prevents aggregation and is available for subsequent coupling reactions with a wide range of polymers and biomolecules. Ring opening coupling reactions were used to coat the epoxy-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles with aminated polymers (polyetheramines) or small molecules (arginine). The resulting nanoparticles, with hydrodynamic size of 13 nm, are found to be very stable over extended periods in water or PBS due to the presence of a dense stabilizer layer covalently anchored to the surface. Exceptionally high spin-lattice relaxivity, r 1 , values of 17 s − 1 mM − 1 , and low r 2 / r 1 ratios of 3.3-3.8 were exhibited in the clinical MRI frequency range, irrespective of the molecule selected for nanoparticle stabilization. As a result the dispersions are excellent candidates for incorporation into multifunctional assemblies or for use as positive contrast agent for MRI.

Given the promise of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for photothermal therapy, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and gene therapy, there is a need for non‐invasive imaging methods to monitor CNT distribution and fate in the body. In this study, non‐ionizing whole‐body high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to follow the distribution of water‐dispersible non‐toxic functionalized CNTs administrated intravenously to mice. Oxidized CNTs are endowed with positive MRI contrast properties by covalent functionalization with the chelating ligand diethylenetriaminepentaacetic dianhydride (DTPA), followed by chelation to Gd3+. The structural and magnetic properties, MR relaxivities, cellular uptake, and application for MRI cell imaging of Gd‐CNTs in comparison to the precursor oxidized CNTs are evaluated. Despite the intrinsic T2 contrast of oxidized CNTs internalized in macrophages, the anchoring of paramagnetic gadolinium onto the nanotube sidewall allows efficient T1 contrast and MR signal enhancement, which is preserved after CNT internalization by cells. Hence, due to their high dispersibility, Gd‐CNTs have the potential to produce positive contrast in vivo following injection into the bloodstream. The uptake of Gd‐CNTs in the liver and spleen is assessed using MRI, while rapid renal clearance of extracellular Gd‐CNTs is observed, confirming the evidences of other studies using different imaging modalities.

The simple reaction of titanium isopropoxide in benzylamine is shown to lead to remarkably complex, highly ordered hybrid structures. These structures consist of anatase nanoplatelets that were stacked in a lamellar fashion with a small organic layer in between. By careful characterization of these structures, we show that indeed solely the benzylamine solvent is present in the organic moiety between the nanocrys-

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