Bright NIR-II fluorescence from biocompatible gel-coated carbon nanotubes for in vivo imaging

Yukiko Nagai, Ryo Hamano, Kenta Nakamura, Isabella A. Widjaja, Naoki Tanaka, Minfang Zhang, Takeshi Tanaka, Hiromichi Kataura, Masako Yudasaka, Tsuyohiko Fujigaya

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Near-infrared light in the second region (NIR-II, ∼1000–1400 nm) can penetrate biological tissues with minimal absorption and scattering, making it ideal for in vivo diagnostic imaging. However, most NIR-II-fluorescent materials lack adequate brightness and biocompatibility. One such example is single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT). In this study, we improved fluorescence brightness and biocompatibility of SWCNTs by coating them with gel of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based cross-linked polymers, which was prepared by a one-pot method called “carbon nanotube micelle polymerization (CMP)”. The PEG confers SWCNT biocompatibility, and structural defects of SWCNT induced by CMP enhanced NIR-II fluorescence intensity. Due to these improvements, the gel-coated SWCNTs clearly imaged vasculatures in mice at a low dose of 8.4 μg/mouse, proving the potential use of gel-coated SWCNTs as high-quality bio-imaging agents.

Original languageEnglish
Article number118728
JournalCarbon
Volume218
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 31 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science

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