Vapor deposition synthesis of polypyrrole nanoparticles with a tunable photothermal conversion capacity

In recent years, nanomaterials have aroused people's interest in the field of biomedicine. Polypyrrole (PPy) has become a research hotspot because of its simple synthesis, excellent photothermal conversion performance, and high biocompatibility. Here, we report the synthesis of PPy nanoparticles (PPy-PVP NPs) using a vapor deposition method, for tumor photothermal therapy. In this method, the slowly produced volatile pyrrole vapor was absorbed by the PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone)/FeCl3 aqueous solution. This slow vapor production and absorption allows the formation of uniform PPy-PVP NPs at room temperature. Then, the effects of the molecular weight of PVP on the photothermal property and anti-tumor efficiency of PPy-PVP NPs were compared. It was found that the selection of PVP40kDa as the template and surface linker can ensure a better application performance of the synthesized nanomaterials. This work provides a theoretical basis for the rational design of nano-therapy carriers and biomedical applications.

Automated summary

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the application of nanomaterials in the field of biomedicine. Polypyrrole (PPy) has attracted attention due to its simple synthesis, excellent photothermal conversion performance, and high biocompatibility. The use of vapor deposition method to synthesize PPy nanoparticles (PPy-PVP NPs) for tumor photothermal therapy has shown promising results, especially when selecting PVP40kDa as the template and surface linker to enhance the application performance of the synthesized nanomaterials.