Photo-crosslinking-mediated assembly of luminescent and plasmonic nanoparticles into multifunctional supraparticles

• Grant number: 22/05118-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Cesar de Sousa Filho
• Grantee: Tamires Maira Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The search for multimodal/multifunctional materials exhibiting multiple orthogonal properties promotes the development of new synthesis methodologies with accurate morphologic and structural control. The controlled aggregation of different nanoparticles showing multiple properties into submicrometric structures called supraparticles is a promising alternative to overcome the complex preparation of core@shell systems. Considering the growing demand in nanomedicine for materials able to measure temperatures with high special resolution (i.e., luminescent nanothermometry) and for structures able to generate highly localized heating (i.e., photothermia), the combination of these two properties in a single supraparticle is a very interesting prospect for applications in theranostics. This project aims to study the formation of aggregates constituted by luminescent nanoparticles with upconversion luminescence and metal plasmonic nanoparticles, and to characterize their optical properties, stability, and applicability in biosystems. We intend to develop a controlled aggregation methodology based on the photo-crosslinking of surface ligands of the nanoparticles confined non-polar drops of emulsions. We therefore aim to combine thermometric and photothermal properties under excitation of different wavelengths, with the perspective to include photodynamic properties to the supraparticles by surface functionalisation with active dyes. This project opens new prospects for fundamental studies on the formation of aggregates, on the interactions between the different optical properties of the individual nanoparticles, and to explore their potentiality as new agents for theranostics.