Preparation of surfactant-free naphthalocyanine nanoparticles and their application to photoacoustic imaging

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05398
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 32020:Functional solid state chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Wada Hiroyuki 東京工業大学, 物質理工学院, 准教授 (00422527)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 有機ナノ粒子 / レーザープロセス / 界面活性剤フリー / ナフタロシアニン / フタロシアニン / 光音響イメージング / バイオイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Naphthalocyanine-based nanoparticles with high near-infrared light absorption and biocompatibility, such as silicon naphthalocyanine, copper naphthalocyanine, and aluminum phthalocyanine chloride, were prepared as aqueous nanoparticle solutions by laser ablation in liquid, and various properties including photoacoustic signals were investigated.
It was found that secondary particle sizes of several hundred to several tens of nanometers suitable for bioavailability can be produced, and that high photoacoustic signal intensities for photoacoustic imaging can be obtained. In particular, higher signal intensity was obtained with copper naphthalocyanine nanoparticles at the same concentration than with indocyanine green, which is generally used as a marker for bioimaging. In addition, a number of related findings were obtained.

Free Research Field

物理化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでナフタロシアニンナノ粒子を含む多くのナノ粒子の作製においては、界面活性剤を利用してきたが、これを生体利用する場合、赤血球の溶血等の界面活性剤の生体内毒性等の問題から、実際の医工学上において課題も多かった。本研究では、界面活性剤を用いずにレーザープロセスを用いてナフタロシアニン系ナノ粒子分散数位溶液を創製する方法を確立し、その医工学応用として注目されているバイオイメージング手法の1つである光音響イメージングの信号強度の測定を行った。