Development of lanthanide doped alkaline-earth fluorides core-shell nanoparticles for nanothermometry and drug delivery applications.

In this study we have worked out a new kind of nanodevices based on CaF2 and SrF2 hosts doped with lanthanide ions with upconverting properties. The main aim consists in the development of luminescent, MRI active and multifunctional nanoparticles useful in different biomedical fields. The structural, morphological and optical properties have been investigated with laser spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction technique, electron microscopy technique. The colloidal properties have been studied with the Dynamic Light Scattering technique. The encouraging results prove that the upconverting nanoparticles are good candidates as nanothermometers and nanodelivery cargo systems.