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Optimized Scintillator YAG:Pr Nanoparticles for X-ray Inducible Photodynamic Therapy
Ajay A Sapre1, Ekaterina Novitskaya2, Ved Vakharia2
1University of California, San Diego, Department of Bioengineering, 9500 Gilman Drive - MC 0412, La Jolla, CA 92093-0412, USA.
Materials Letters
|December 4, 2018
Summary
Praseodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) nanoparticles were synthesized using a sol-gel method for X-ray inducible photodynamic therapy (X-PDT). These silica-coated nanoparticles exhibit suitable photon emission for potential in vivo applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment modality.
- X-ray inducible PDT (X-PDT) offers enhanced tissue penetration compared to traditional PDT.
- Developing efficient nanomaterials for X-PDT is crucial for clinical translation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize praseodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG:Pr) nanoparticles via a sol-gel method.
- To evaluate the suitability of these nanoparticles for X-ray inducible photodynamic therapy.
- To assess the impact of silica coating on nanoparticle properties and X-ray induced luminescence.
Main Methods:
- Sol-gel synthesis of YAG:Pr nanoparticles.
- Optimization of calcination temperature and time.
- Silica coating of nanoparticles (10 nm thickness).
- Characterization of crystallite size, morphology, and photon emission spectrum under X-ray irradiation (50 keVp).
Main Results:
- Optimized sol-gel method produced smooth, spherical YAG:Pr nanoparticles with 50-200 nm crystallite size.
- Silica coating did not significantly alter photon flux or emission spectrum.
- Maximum emission peak observed at approximately 320 nm in response to X-rays.
- YAG:Pr nanoparticles demonstrated consistent photon emission characteristics after silica coating.
Conclusions:
- Sol-gel synthesized YAG:Pr nanoparticles are suitable for X-PDT applications.
- Silica coating enhances nanoparticle utility for further functionalization without compromising X-ray luminescence.
- These YAG:Pr powders represent promising candidates for future in vivo X-PDT studies.
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