Hollow GdPO4:Eu3+ microspheres: Luminescent properties and applications as drug carrier

GdPO4:Eu3+ samples were synthesized by a hydrothermal process using melamine formaldehyde (MF) as template. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum suggested that GdPO4:Eu3+ has a hexagonal phase. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that the obtained GdPO4:Eu3+ are hollow microspheres with diameters in the range of 1-1.5 μm. Under the excitation at 245 nm, hexagonal GdPO4:Eu3+ hollow microspheres showed emission bands originating from the 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1, 2, 3 and 4) transitions of Eu3+. The drug release properties of hexagonal GdPO4:Eu3+ hollow microspheres were exhibited by the doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) release test. The biocompatibility of hexagonal GdPO4:Eu3+ hollow microsphere was tested by the standard 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results indicated that hollow GdPO4:Eu3+ microspheres have potential applications in biomedicine fields.