| Abstract Scope |
The remarkable optical properties of the lanthanides (Ln) make Ln-based materials ideal for applications ranging from biomedicine to optoelectronics and energy conversion technology. Lanthanide-based nanoparticles based on sodium lanthanide fluorides are commonly synthesized by the thermal decomposition of metal precursors in high-boiling-point solvents, based on convectional heating. Microwave reactors can improve reproducibility as offering better control over a reaction environment, more homogeneous heat distribution yields narrow size distributions, and rapid heating to the desired temperature shortens reaction times. Targeting applications in optoelectronics, photochemistry, and energy conversion, boosting the efficiency of lanthanide-based nanomaterials is key. In addition, some lanthanides have outstanding magnetic properties. We recently demonstrated for the first time the single-molecule magnet (SMM)-like behavior for Ln-based NPs. This presentation will shed light on the microwave-assisted synthesis of core/(multi)shell UCNPs and highlight pros and cons of this strategy towards the design of multifunctional materials. |