PDA modified NIR-II NaEr_0.8Yb_0.2F₄nanoparticles with high photothermal effect

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Developing advanced nanomaterials for biomedical applications is crucial.
• Near-infrared-II (NIR-II) imaging offers enhanced penetration depth and resolution compared to traditional optical imaging.
• Polydopamine (PDA) coatings can improve nanoparticle properties for biological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize polydopamine (PDA)-modified NaEr0.8Yb0.2F4 nanoparticles for NIR-II imaging and photothermal therapy.
• To evaluate the optical properties, photothermal performance, and in vivo imaging capabilities of these nanoparticles.
• To assess the potential of these nanoparticles as fluorescent probes for disease diagnosis and treatment.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of polydopamine (PDA)-modified NaEr0.8Yb0.2F4 nanoparticles.
• Characterization of crystal phases, microstructures, and optical properties (absorption, NIR-II emission, light stability).
• Evaluation of NIR-II imaging performance in fresh pork tissue and in vivo imaging in mice, including photothermal conversion efficiency and cytotoxicity assessment.

Main Results:

• Synthesized nanoparticles exhibited strong NIR-II emission with a high quantum yield (29.63%) and excellent photothermal performance.
• High penetration depth (5 mm) and spatial resolution (1 mm) were achieved in pork tissue imaging.
• In vivo imaging in mice showed high image quality (SNR of 5.2) due to liver accumulation, with PDA-modified NPs demonstrating twice the photothermal conversion effect of reported materials.

Conclusions:

• Polydopamine-modified NaEr0.8Yb0.2F4 nanoparticles possess superior optical properties and high photothermal efficiency.
• These nanoparticles demonstrate excellent performance for deep tissue NIR-II imaging and have low cytotoxicity.
• The developed nanoparticles show significant potential as fluorescent probes for advanced disease diagnosis and treatment strategies.