Finely crafted quasi-core-shell gadolinium/layered double hydroxide hybrids for switching on/off bimodal CT/MRI contrasting nanodiagnostic platforms.

We successfully synthesized a size-controlled hybrid of layered double hydroxide (LDH) platelets and Gd(OH) nanorods through the reverse micelle method. Under controlled synthetic conditions, the hybrid was developed to a quasi-core-shell structure, where the Gd(OH) nanorods were covered by the LDH platelet assembly, and this was investigated by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The zeta potential measurement for the hybrid revealed that Gd(OH) was surrounded by LDH moieties.