A one-pot synthesis of multifunctional Bi2S3 nanoparticles and the construction of core–shell Bi2S3@Ce6–CeO2 nanocomposites for NIR-triggered phototherapy

Abstract

As a direct thin band gap n-type semiconductor, bismuth sulfide (Bi₂S₃) nanomaterials possess great near-infrared (NIR)-triggered photothermal effects, photoacoustic (PA) and computed tomography (CT) imaging properties. Hence, Bi₂S₃ nanomaterials have become a research focal point in multiple domains, such as the construction of NIR-triggered nanosystems for cancer therapy. In this study, through a simple one-pot synthesis with the assistance of EDTA-2Na, we first obtained monodispersed spherical Bi₂S₃ of uniform particle sizes with fascinating photothermal and PA/CT imaging properties. Based on this, we introduced the photosensitizer Ce6 with photodynamic property and CeO₂ with the O₂-evolving characteristic, and thus designed a core–shell structure of the Bi₂S₃@Ce6–CeO₂ nanocomposites (Bi₂S₃@Ce6–CeO₂ NCs). The as-received Bi₂S₃@Ce6–CeO₂ NCs exhibited a remarkable synergetic photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic effect both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating its promising potential for cancer treatments. In the long term, the multifunctional PA/CT properties of both Bi₂S₃ NPs and Bi₂S₃@Ce6–CeO₂ NCs in this study also supply a novel Bi₂S₃-based platform for constructing integrated diagnosis and treatment platforms.