Engineered solvothermal synthesis of Gd-doped W18O49 nanoprobes for scalable photothermal/photodynamic conversion and dual-modal bio-imaging

Background: Near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000-1350 nm) energy conversion systems offers enhanced spatial resolution, deeper tissue penetration, and reduced autofluorescence compared to NIR-I (780-1000 nm). However, treatment precision is limited by complex nanosystems and the lack of real-time imaging. Method: Herein, we develop Gd-doped W 18 O 49 (xGd-W 18 O 49 ) nanoprobes via an engineered solvothermal process (200°C, 24 h), systematically modulating Gd concentrations (2-5 at%) to achieve crystallographic phase stability, uniform morphology, and optimized NIR absorption kinetics. Significant findings: The 3%Gd-W 18 O 49 exhibits prominent photothermal conversion efficiency, photodynamic performance, and in vitro inhibition of MCF-7 cancer cells. Capitalizing on tungsten’s high atomic number (Z=74) and gadolinium’s paramagnetism, this nanoplatform enables synergistic CT/MR dual-modal imaging with contrast enhancement for real-time guidance. This “all-in-one” system demonstrates a scalable strategy for transition metal oxide doping, integrating reactor-synthesized nanomaterials with NIR-induced photothermal/photodynamic therapy for precision theranostics.