title: In Situ Growth Strategy to Integrate Up-Conversion Nanoparticles with Ultrasmall CuS for Photothermal Theranostics.
abstract: In the theranostic field, a near-infrared (NIR) laser is located in the optical window, and up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) could be potentially utilized as the imaging agents with high contrast. Meanwhile, copper sulfide (CuS) has been proposed as a photothermal agent with increased temperature under a NIR laser. However, there is still no direct and effective strategy to integrate the hydrophobic UCNPs with CuS until now. Herein, we propose an in situ growth routine based on the hydrophobic core/shell UCNPs combined with ultrasmall water-soluble CuS triggered by single 808 nm NIR irradiation as the theranostic platform. Hydrophobic NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaYF4,Nd,Yb could be turned hydrophilic with highly dispersed and biocompatible properties through conjunction with transferred dopamine. The as-synthesized ultrasmall CuS (3 and 7 nm) served as a stable photothermal agent even after several laser-on/off cycles. Most importantly, comparing with the mix routine, the in situ growth routine to coat UCNPs with CuS is meaningful, and the platform is uniform and stable. Green luminescence-guided hyperthermia could be achieved under a single 808 nm laser, which was evidenced by in vitro and in vivo assays. This nanoplatform is applicable as a bioimaging and photothermal antitumor agent, and the in situ growth routine could be spread to other integration processes.
authors.affiliation: Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, Shanxi 710071, China.|Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin 150001, China.|Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg , 35037 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ruichan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6360-6478
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Piaoping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, Shanxi 710071, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University , Harbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Jiating
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, Shanxi 710071, China.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
keywords: copper sulfide; in situ growth; photothermal; up-conversion