Metabolizable Ultrathin Bi2Se3 Nanosheets in Imaging‐Guided Photothermal Therapy

Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)‐encapsulated Bi₂Se₃ nanosheets with a thickness of 1.7 nm and diameter of 31.4 nm are prepared by a solution method. Possessing an extinction coefficient of 11.5 L g^?1 cm^?1 at 808 nm, the ultrathin Bi₂Se₃ nanosheets boast a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 34.6% and excellent photoacoustic performance. After systemic administration, the Bi₂Se₃ nanosheets with the proper size and surface properties accumulate passively in tumors enabling efficient photoacoustic imaging of the entire tumors to facilitate photothermal cancer therapy. In vivo biodistribution studies reveal that they are expelled from the body efficiently after 30 d. The ultrathin Bi₂Se₃ nanosheets have large clinical potential as metabolizable near‐infrared‐triggered theranostic agents.     

Facile Synthesis of γ‐In2Se3 Nanoflowers toward High Performance Self‐Powered Broadband γ‐In2Se3/Si Heterojunction Photodiode

An effective colloidal process involving the hot‐injection method is developed to synthesize uniform nanoflowers consisting of 2D γ‐In₂Se₃ nanosheets. By exploiting the narrow direct bandgap and high absorption coefficient in the visible light range of In₂Se₃, a high‐quality γ‐In₂Se₃/Si heterojunction photodiode is fabricated. This photodiode shows a high photoresponse under light illumination, short response/recovery times, and long‐term durability. In addition, the γ‐In₂Se₃/Si heterojunction photodiode is self‐powered and displays a broadband spectral response ranging from UV to IR with a high responsivity and detectivity. These excellent performances make the γ‐In₂Se₃/Si heterojunction very interesting as highly efficient photodetectors.     

Giant Magnetic Heat Induction of Magnesium‐Doped γ‐Fe2O3 Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Completely Killing Tumors

Magnetic fluid hyperthermia has been recently considered as a Renaissance of cancer treatment modality due to its remarkably low side effects and high treatment efficacy compared to conventional chemotheraphy or radiotheraphy. However, insufficient AC induction heating power at a biological safe range of AC magnetic field (H_appl·f_appl < 3.0–5.0 × 10⁹ A m^?1 s^?1), and highly required biocompatibility of superparamagnetic nanoparticle (SPNP) hyperthermia agents are still remained as critical challenges for successful clinical hyperthermia applications. Here, newly developed highly biocompatible magnesium shallow doped γ‐Fe₂O₃ (Mg_0.13‐γFe₂O₃) SPNPs with exceptionally high intrinsic loss power (ILP) in a range of 14 nH m² kg^?1, which is an ≈100 times higher than that of commercial Fe₃O₄ (Feridex, ILP = 0.15 nH m² kg^?1) at H_appl·f_appl = 1.23 × 10⁹ A m^?1 s^?1 are reported. The significantly enhanced heat induction characteristics of Mg_0.13‐γFe₂O₃ are primarily due to the dramatically enhanced out‐of‐phase magnetic susceptibility and magnetically tailored AC/DC magnetic softness resulted from the systematically controlled Mg²⁺ cations distribution and concentrations in octahedral site Fe vacancies of γ‐Fe₂O₃ instead of well‐known Fe₃O₄ SPNPs. In vitro and in vivo magnetic hyperthermia studies using Mg_0.13‐γFe₂O₃ nanofluids are conducted to estimate bioavailability and biofeasibility. Mg_0.13‐γFe₂O₃ nanofluids show promising hyperthermia effects to completely kill the tumors.     

Suppression of Persistent Photoconductivity of Rubrene Crystals using Gate‐Tunable Rubrene/Bi2Se3 Diodes with Photoinduced Negative Differential Resistance

Organic single‐crystalline semiconductors show great potential in high‐performance photodetectors. However, they suffer from persistent photoconductivity (PPC) due to the charge trapping, which has severely hindered high‐speed imaging applications. Here, a universal strategy of solving the PPC by integrating with topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ is provided. The rubrene/Bi₂Se₃ heterojunctions are selected as an example for general demonstration due to the reproducibly high mobility and broad optoelectronic applications of rubrene crystals. By virtue of high carrier concentration on Bi₂Se₃ surface and the strong built‐in electrical field, the photoresponse of the heterotransistor is significantly reduced for more than two orders (from over 10 s to 54 ms), meanwhile the photoresponsivity can reach 124 A W^?1. To the best of knowledge, this operating speed is among the fastest responses in organic–inorganic heterojunctions. The heterotransistor also shows unique negative differential resistance under positive gate bias, which can be explained by photoinduced de‐trapping of electron trap states in the bulk rubrene crystals. Besides, the rubrene/Bi₂Se₃ heterojunction behaves as a gate‐tunable backward‐like diode due to the inhomogenous carrier distribution in the thick rubrene crystal and inversion of relative Fermi level positions. The findings demonstrate versatile functionalities of the rubrene/Bi₂Se₃ heterojunctions for various emerging optoelectronic applications.     

Truly Concomitant and Independently Expressed Short‐ and Long‐Term Plasticity in a Bi2O2Se‐Based Three‐Terminal Memristor

Concomitance of diverse synaptic plasticity across different timescales produces complex cognitive processes. To achieve comparable cognitive complexity in memristive neuromorphic systems, devices that are capable of emulating short‐term (STP) and long‐term plasticity (LTP) concomitantly are essential. In existing memristors, however, STP and LTP can only be induced selectively because of the inability to be decoupled using different loci and mechanisms. In this work, the first demonstration of truly concomitant STP and LTP is reported in a three‐terminal memristor that uses independent physical phenomena to represent each form of plasticity. The emerging layered material Bi₂O₂Se is used for memristors for the first time, opening up the prospects for ultrathin, high‐speed, and low‐power neuromorphic devices. The concerted action of STP and LTP allows full‐range modulation of the transient synaptic efficacy, from depression to facilitation, by stimulus frequency or intensity, providing a versatile device platform for neuromorphic function implementation. A heuristic recurrent neural circuitry model is developed to simulate the intricate “sleep–wake cycle autoregulation” process, in which the concomitance of STP and LTP is posited as a key factor in enabling this neural homeostasis. This work sheds new light on the development of generic memristor platforms for highly dynamic neuromorphic computing.     

Kidney Podocytes as Specific Targets for cyclo(RGDfC)‐Modified Nanoparticles

Renal nanoparticle passage opens the door for targeting new cells like podocytes, which constitute the exterior part of the renal filter. When cyclo(RGDfC)‐modified Qdots are tested on isolated primary podocytes for selective binding to the αvβ3 integrin receptor a highly cell‐ and receptor‐specific binding can be observed. In displacement experiments with free cyclo(RGDfC) IC₅₀ values of 150 nM for αvβ3 integrin over‐expressing U87‐MG cells and 60 nM for podocytes are measured. Confocal microscopy shows a cellular Qdot uptake into vesicle‐like structures. Our ex vivo study gives clear evidence that, after renal filtration, nanoparticles can be targeted to podocyte integrin receptors in the future. This could be a highly promising approach for future therapy and diagnostics of podocyte‐associated diseases.     

α‐Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Decorated C@MoS2 Nanosheet Arrays with Expanded Spacing of (002) Plane for Ultrafast and High Li/Na‐Ion Storage

MoS₂ nanosheets as a promising 2D nanomaterial have extensive applications in energy storage and conversion, but their electrochemical performance is still unsatisfactory as an anode for efficient Li⁺/Na⁺ storage. In this work, the design and synthesis of vertically grown MoS₂ nanosheet arrays, decorated with graphite carbon and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles, on flexible carbon fiber cloth (denoted as Fe₂O₃@C@MoS₂/CFC) is reported. When evaluated as an anode for lithium‐ion batteries, the Fe₂O₃@C@MoS₂/CFC electrode manifests an outstanding electrochemical performance with a high discharge capacity of 1541.2 mAh g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1 and a good capacity retention of 80.1% at 1.0 A g^?1 after 500 cycles. As for sodium‐ion batteries, it retains a high reversible capacity of 889.4 mAh g^?1 at 0.5 A g^?1 over 200 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance mainly results from the unique 3D ordered Fe₂O₃@C@MoS₂ array‐type nanostructures and the synergistic effect between the C@MoS₂ nanosheet arrays and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles act as spacers to steady the structure, and the graphite carbon could be incorporated into MoS₂ nanosheets to improve the conductivity of the whole electrode and strengthen the integration of MoS₂ nanosheets and CFC by the adhesive role, together ensuring high conductivity and mechanical stability.     

Active Targeting Using HER‐2‐Affibody‐Conjugated Nanoparticles Enabled Sensitive and Specific Imaging of Orthotopic HER‐2 Positive Ovarian Tumors

Despite advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, ovarian cancer remains one of the most fatal cancer types. The development of targeted nanoparticle imaging probes and therapeutics offers promising approaches for early detection and effective treatment of ovarian cancer. In this study, HER‐2 targeted magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are developed by conjugating a high affinity and small size HER‐2 affibody that is labeled with a unique near infrared dye (NIR‐830) to the nanoparticles. Using a clinically relevant orthotopic human ovarian tumor xenograft model, it is shown that HER‐2 targeted IONPs are selectively delivered into both primary and disseminated ovarian tumors, enabling non‐invasive optical and MR imaging of the tumors as small as 1 mm in the peritoneal cavity. It is determined that HER‐2 targeted delivery of the IONPs is essential for specific and sensitive imaging of the HER‐2 positive tumor since we are unable to detect the imaging signal in the tumors following systemic delivery of non‐targeted IONPs into the mice bearing HER‐2 positive SKOV3 tumors. Furthermore, imaging signals and the IONPs are not detected in HER‐2 low expressing OVCAR3 tumors after systemic delivery of HER‐2 targeted‐IONPs. Since HER‐2 is expressed in a high percentage of ovarian cancers, the HER‐2 targeted dual imaging modality IONPs have potential for the development of novel targeted imaging and therapeutic nanoparticles for ovarian cancer detection, targeted drug delivery, and image‐guided therapy and surgery.