Gold-Plated CNTs Used as Photoacoustic and Photothermal Imaging Agents and Laser-Ablation Therapeutic Agents

摘要

The photothermal (PT) and photo-acoustic (PA) properties of carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) make them promising candidates for deep-tissue imaging and treatment of tumors and infections. The possibility of toxicity, however, is a concern. In contrast, gold nanoparticles, such as gold nanoshells, gold nanorods, and gold nanocages, have minimal toxicity and show near-infrared absorption higher than CNTs. Recently, an interdisciplinary team led by J.-W. Kim at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and V.P. Zharov at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, combined the advantages of gold nanoparticles with CNT properties, including mechanical flexibility, large surface area, small diameter, and the ability to cluster, to enhance PA and PT responses.