Optothermal Needle-Free Injection of Vaterite Nanocapsules

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Light-induced propulsion of nanoparticles is crucial for various applications, including targeted biomedical delivery.
• Existing methods for nanoparticle acceleration face limitations in efficiency and applicability for in-vivo scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore a new physical mechanism for laser-induced particle acceleration using optothermal expansion.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of needle-free injection of nanoparticles into biological tissues using this method.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing mesoporous vaterite nanoparticles, a metastable form of calcium carbonate.
• Employing a short femtosecond infrared laser pulse to induce abnormal optothermal expansion.
• Accelerating nanoparticles towards a target phantom and biological samples (Xenopus oocyte).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated laser-induced acceleration of 2 µm vaterite nanoparticles via optothermal expansion.
• Achieved particle velocities of 15 m/sec, overcoming van der Waals forces.
• Successfully performed optothermal laser-driven needle-free injection into a phantom layer and Xenopus oocyte.

Conclusions:

• The novel optothermal expansion mechanism provides an effective method for laser-driven nanoparticle acceleration.
• This technique shows significant potential for developing advanced light-responsive nanocapsules for biomedical applications.
• Enables precise, needle-free delivery, monitoring, and controlled dosage of therapeutic nano cargoes.