Optogenetics is a technique that combines optics and biology to control neurons via light-sensitive proteins (opsins) and radiative energy. Traditionally, an optical fiber is used to pass light through the cranial, consequently localized heating and surgical scars can damage health cells. Here a noninvasive technique is proposed utilizing high penetrating and low tissue attenuating x-rays and sub-100 nm scintillators to deliver radiative energy to opsins. Scintillators are a class of materials that can convert high excitation energies into light ideally, this material has high density, high light output, and discrete emission characteristics. Conventional non-toxic and bright scintillators that can be applied in the biomedical field are silicate materials (e.g. Lu2SiO5:Ce, Y2Si2O7:Ce) which can only be synthesized at temperatures above 1000oC; as such the synthesis of sub-100 nm scintillators is a difficult accomplishment due to sintering. Two types of monodisperse scintillating colloids were synthesized at &gt;1000oC using a high temperature multi-composite reactor (HTMcR). A core-bishell particulate was designed with a SiO2 core and a Re2O3 (Re = Y3+ or Lu3+) shell by sol-gel and precipitation techniques, followed by polymerization of poly(divinylbenzene) encapsulating the inorganic nanoparticulate. At &gt;1000oC the inorganic species recrystallized to Re2Si2O7 while the organic specie carbonized to amorphous carbon and prevented particle aggregation. The HTMcR has the potential to open new opportunities in nanotechnology that will be demonstrated in this presentation. First, the structure-luminescent properties of the sub-100 nm particulates were explored. A series of mono-, co-, and tri- doped systems (Ce3+, Tb3+, and Eu3+) were then incorporated into the sub-100 nm particulate to broaden and enhance x-ray luminescence. Lastly, the surface of the nanoparticulates were modified for click chemistry generating multiple functionalities into a single nanoscintillator. The HTMcR has the potential to expand bionanotechnology research by combining the two atypical fields of organic and inorganic chemistry.

Expanding the colloidal toolkit for optogenetics and x-ray active nanoparticles

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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