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Updated: Jul 10, 2025
Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications
Published on: April 28, 2015
Multifunctional Nanoparticles with Superparamagnetic Mn(II) Ferrite and Luminescent Gold Nanoclusters for Multimodal
Bárbara Casteleiro1,2, Mariana Rocha2, Ana R Sousa2,3
1Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS) and Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
Abstract:
Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with fluorescence in the Near Infrared (NIR) by both one- and two-photon electronic excitation were incorporated in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) using a novel one-pot synthesis procedure where the condensation polymerization of alkoxysilane monomers in the presence of the AuNCs and a surfactant produced hybrid MSNs of 49 nm diameter. This method was further developed to prepare 30 nm diameter nanocomposite particles with simultaneous NIR fluorescence and superparamagnetic properties, with a core composed of superparamagnetic manganese (II) ferrite nanoparticles (MnFe2O4) coated with a thin silica layer, and a shell of mesoporous silica decorated with AuNCs. The nanocomposite particles feature NIR-photoluminescence with 0.6% quantum yield and large Stokes shift (290 nm), and superparamagnetic response at 300 K, with a saturation magnetization of 13.4 emu g-1. The conjugation of NIR photoluminescence and superparamagnetic properties in the biocompatible nanocomposite has high potential for application in multimodal bioimaging.
