Persistent luminescent nanoparticle and articles comprising the same

Abstract

An article comprising a luminescent nanoparticle is described, wherein the luminescent nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of oxide nanoparticles, aluminate nanoparticles, and germanate nanoparticles; and wherein the luminescent nanoparticle is doped with one or more metals or rare-earth elements. A method of making a luminescent nanoparticle is also described, the method comprising the steps of: providing a nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle is doped with one or more chemical elements, and heating the nanoparticle to a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1200° C. to alter the crystal structure of the nanoparticle and/or to create oxygen vacancies in the nanoparticle. A persistent luminescent nanoparticle is described, said persistent luminescent nanoparticle being selected from the group consisting of: LaAlO3 nanoparticles, Gd2O3 nanoparticles, SrAl2O4 nanoparticles, Y2O3 nanoparticles, and combinations thereof; wherein the nanoparticle is doped with about 1 mol % or less of a chemical element selected from the group consisting of: holmium, europium, ytterbium, neodymium, magnesium, and combinations thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.