Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> MXene Nanosheets Functionalized with NaErF<sub>4</sub>:0.5%Tm@NaLuF<sub>4</sub> Nanoparticles for Dual-Modal Near-Infrared IIb/Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Tumor Hyperthermia
Jialin Pan, Meiling Zhang, Gege Fu, Li Zhang, Huimei Yu, Xu Yan, Fangmeng Liu, Peng Sun, Xiaoteng Jia, Xiaomin Liu, Geyu Lu
Abstract
Although the advent of two-dimensional (2D) MXenes has substantially increased the family of 2D materials and diverse applications, the rational design of MXene-based composites and their specialized applications in theranostic biomedicine remain a challenge. In this work, we developed, for the first time, Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets for near-infrared (NIR)-IIb (1530 nm) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided photothermal therapy. Surface engineering and functionalization of 2D Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets with NaErF4:0.5%Tm@NaLuF4 (NaErF4) nanoparticles result in NaErF4@Ti3C2 composites that emit in the NIR-IIb region at 1530 nm under 808 nm excitation, conferring NIR-IIb imaging guidance and monitoring capabilities during tumor hyperthermia. Due to the inherent magnetic properties of the Er3+ ions, the NaErF4@Ti3C2 composite can also be used for efficient T2-weighted MR imaging. In particular, based on the high photothermal conversion capability (43.62% at 808 nm irradiation) and photothermal stability, the designed composites were further explored for efficient tumor ablation with an inhibition ratio of 92.9%, which was systematically demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. No significant nanocomposite toxicity was observed at the injected dose. This work not only expands the performance of MXene-based multifunctional nanostructures but also highlights the promise of their versatile applications in cancer therapy.