Preparation of Gd-doped AuNBP@mSiO nanocomposites for the MR imaging, drug delivery and chemo-photothermal synergistic killing of breast cancer cells.

Under near-infrared (NIR) light, gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs) exhibit a high photothermal conversion rate and photothermal stability, making them ideal mediators for photothermal therapy (PTT). In this study, highly purified AuNBPs are prepared, followed by coating their surfaces with mesoporous silica (mSiO). The obtained AuNBP@mSiO nanocomplex exhibits an ellipsoidal shape with a relatively large specific surface, pore diameter and pore volume.