Morphological effect of copper sulfide nanoparticles on their near infrared laser activated photothermal and photodynamic performance

Abstract

The physicochemical property of nanomaterials can affect their photothermal and photodynamic properties. Four types of copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles (NPs) including sphere, cube, cuboctahedron and truncated octahedron were synthesized to investigate their morphological effect on photothermal and photodynamic performance as well as phototherapeutic effects in MCF-7 cells. 808 nm laser irradiation could rapidly elevate the temperature of all these CuS NP suspension and promote their reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, showing excellent photothermal and photodynamic performance, where cubes showed the most effective performance, followed by cuboctahedrons, truncated octahedrons, and spheres. All these CuS NPs could be efficiently taken up by MCF-7 cells, and showed excellent biocompatibility. Under 808 nm laser irradiation, these CuS NPs could efficiently kill cells, exhibiting promising phototherapeutic effects, this is in accordance with with their photothermal and photodynamic effect curves. Taken all together, the morphology of CuS NPs can effectively affect their phototherapeutic effect.