Near‐Infrared Nanophosphor Embedded in Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle with High Light‐Harvesting Efficiency for Dual Photosystem Enhancement

Abstract

Light-harvesting and conversion ability is important to promote plant growth, and especially when resources are limited. A near-infrared (NIR) nanophosphor embedded with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), ZnGa 2 O 4 :Cr 3+ ,Sn 4+ (ZGOCS), was developed and its optical properties were harnessed to enhance the photosynthetic ability of Brassica rapa spp. chinensis. The broad excitation of ZGOCS from the ultraviolet to the visible region allowed the conversion of extra light into near-infrared light (650-800 nm) and thus promoted the dual photosystem via the Emerson effect. ZGOCS@MSN was spherical with a size of 65 AE 10 nm and good dispersion. A light conversion ability of up to 75 % under different wavelengths was achieved. Moreover, the electron transfer rate of photosynthesis increased by 100 % with a suitable ZGOCS@MSN concentration. Plant and animal models were used to explore the effects of the nanophosphor. ZGOCS@MSN distribution was tracked by monitoring its NIR emission in plant and animal tissues, demonstrating that this nanophosphor can be potentially utilized in plant growth.

Highly efficient Fe3+-doped A2BB′O6 (A = Sr2+, Ca2+; B, B′ = In3+, Sb5+, Sn4+) broadband near-infrared-emitting phosphors for spectroscopic analysis

“…Near-infrared (NIR) light has been widely used in plant cultivation, night vision, food analysis, photovoltaics, and biomedicine 1 – 3 . With the increasing popularity of smart devices, it is necessary to develop portable NIR light sources.…”

A General Ammonium Salt Assisted Synthesis Strategy for Cr3+‐Doped Hexafluorides with Highly Efficient Near Infrared Emissions

“…[ 21–23 ] Moreover, this type of emission can be realized by simply doping Cr 3+ ions into a weak octahedral crystal field environment. Therefore, several Cr 3+ activated phosphors for LEDs have been developed, [ 18,24–30 ] some of which exhibit high photoluminescence internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of >90%, such as Gd 3 Sc 2 Ga 3 O 12 :0.01Cr 3+ ,0.5Al 3+ (IQE = 98.6%), [ 31 ] Ca 3 Sc 2 Si 3 O 12 :0.06Cr 3+ (IQE = 92.3%), [ 32 ] and GdAl 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :0.01Cr 3+ (IQE = 91%). [ 33 ] However, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of these phosphors is limited to 28%, owing to the relatively low absorption efficiency (AE) of Cr 3+ resulting from the parity‐forbidden 3d‐3d electronic transition.…”

Novel Materials for Urban Farming

“…[ 178,179 ] Downconversion phosphors with single or dual spectrum emission overlapping with the main absorption region of plant pigments are potential candidates for indoor plant growth lighting. [ 180–182 ] By contrast, upconversion materials have received increasing attention for plants, not only for cell imaging but also for light harvesting. A prior experiment on in vitro coupling of porous NaYF 4 with chlorophyll verified that red light converted from near‐infrared (NIR) by the upconversion material can be transferred to the biomolecules.…”

“…[ 185 ] However, the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles remains a controversial subject and its effect on plants is highly dependent on the species of plants and the type of upconversion material combination. [ 180–182,184,186,187 ] Future research on upconversion materials should take into account their biocompatibility and biosafety.…”