[Paper] ACS Applied Nano Materials

F. Permatasari,  H. Fukazawa, T. Ogi*, F. Iskandar, K. Okuyama: Design of Pyrrolic-N-rich Carbon Dots with Absorption in the First Near-Infrared Window for Photothermal Therapy, ACS Applied Nano Materials, just accepted.

Pyrrolic-N rich carbon dots (CDs) that exhibit an absorption peak in the first near-infrared (NIR) window region ware developed using a one-step microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. A high concentration of urea enabled the introduction of a large amount of pyrrolic nitrogen on the CDs surfaces. By optimizing the experimental conditions, the absorption peak of the CDs redshifted from 550 nm to 650 nm. The resulting pyrrolic-N-rich CDs exhibited photothermal effects with high NIR photothermal efficiency (54.3%) and photoluminescence. The prepared CDs, which show a first NIR window absorption peak, photoluminescence, and negative surface charge, have the potential to be used as multifunctional nanocarriers for cell imaging, drug delivery and as photothermal agents in cancer therapy.