Upconversion Nanoparticle ‐Assisted Photopolymerization

The upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) absorb two or more low ‐energy photons at near‐infrared wavelength to emit high‐energy photons at UV/vis wavelength to excite the initiator to generate free radicals, which induce monomers to polymerize to form various nano/micro structures or macro gels.
AbstractNear ‐infrared (NIR) laser has deeper penetration and lower thermal effect compared with ultraviolet–visible (UV/vis) laser. NIR laser can stimulate upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to emit UV/vis light efficiently. Therefore, the UCNPs become an important kind of materials to produce upconversion luminescence through NIR laser. Compared with photopolymerization induced with UV/vis laser, the UV/vis light from UCNP‐assisted photopolymerization presents some unique characters. This review focuses on the research progress of UCNP‐assisted photopolymerization and its potential applications. We will discuss the influencing factors of UCNP‐assisted polymerization, illustrate the relation between the gel size and monomer concentration and propose the development prospects of UCNP‐assisted polymerization in the biological field.

Source: Photochemistry and Photobiology - May 18, 2020 Category: Science Authors: Ke Wang, Jhair Pe ña, Jinfeng Xing Tags: Invited Review Source Type: research