Oleic Acid Binding and Exchange Dynamics on NaYF4 Nanocrystals.
- 1Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht3584 CC, The Netherlands.
- 2Organic Chemistry & Catalysis, Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht3584 CG, The Netherlands.
- 3NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht3584 CH, The Netherlands.
Abstract
Lanthanide-doped NaYF4 nanocrystals (NCs) are widely used for their exceptional photoluminescence properties. Their performance and processability are critically dependent on surface-bound ligands such as oleic acid. While these ligands stabilize NCs during synthesis and in nonpolar solvents, applications often require post-synthetic ligand exchange. Here, we investigate the protonation state, surface ion binding, and exchange dynamics of oleic acid on NaYF4 NCs using a variety of analysis techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Our methods distinguish bound and free ligand populations, quantify surface coverage, and detail how common purification steps alter ligand density. These findings offer key insights into NC surface chemistry and provide a foundation for rational NC purification and ligand-exchange strategies, with implications for optimization of colloidal stability and functionalization.
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BibTeX
@article{dekker2026oleic,
title = {{Oleic Acid Binding and Exchange Dynamics on NaYF4 Nanocrystals.}},
author = {Ayla J H Dekker and Marco Kikkert and Francesca Lavore and Léon Witteman and Markus Weingarth and Pieter C A Bruijnincx and Freddy T Rabouw},
journal = {The journal of physical chemistry letters},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1021/acs.jpclett.6c02516},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915474},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Oleic Acid Binding and Exchange Dynamics on NaYF4 Nanocrystals.
AU - Ayla J H Dekker
AU - Marco Kikkert
AU - Francesca Lavore
AU - Léon Witteman
AU - Markus Weingarth
AU - Pieter C A Bruijnincx
AU - Freddy T Rabouw
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - The journal of physical chemistry letters
DO - 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6c02516
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915474
AB - Lanthanide-doped NaYF4 nanocrystals (NCs) are widely used for their exceptional photoluminescence properties. Their performance and processability are critically dependent on surface-bound ligands such as oleic acid. While these ligands stabilize NCs during synthesis and in nonpolar solvents, applications often require post-synthetic ligand exchange. Here, we investigate the protonation state, surface ion binding, and exchange dynamics of oleic acid on NaYF4 NCs using a variety of analysis techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Our methods distinguish bound and free ligand populations, quantify surface coverage, and detail how common purification steps alter ligand density. These findings offer key insights into NC surface chemistry and provide a foundation for rational NC purification and ligand-exchange strategies, with implications for optimization of colloidal stability and functionalization.
SN - 1948-7185
ER -