Hybrid Ta2O5-Au nanoparticles synthesized by radiolytic reduction of gold ions: effects of synthesis parameters and tantalum oxide surface chemistryстатья
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Дата последнего поиска статьи во внешних источниках: 23 января 2026 г.
Аннотация:The expanding biomedical applications of hybrid nanomaterials demand synthesis methods ensuring high purity and precise control over particle size and distribution. Here, we report the synthesis of raspberry-like Ta2O5-Au hybrid core-shell nanoparticles via in situ electron-beam radiolytic reduction of Au³⁺ ions in the presence of polydopamine (PDA)-coated Ta2O5 cores. Synthesis was performed without the addition of chemical reducing agents, operated at room temperature, and allowed precise control over synthesis parameters, providing a sustainable and scalable route for hybrid nanoparticle production.We investigated the effects of oxide surface chemistry, radiation dose and dose rate, and HAuCl4 concentration on Au nanoparticles binding efficiency and particle size. UV-vis and TEM analyses revealed that reduction of Au+3 in the presence of Ta2O5@PDA cores yielded raspberry-like Ta2O5-Au hybrids with small and uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles, compared to rather large Au nanoparticles formed in core-free solutions. Surface chemistry critically influenced hybrid formation: unmodified Ta2O5 cores did not yield hybrids under alkaline conditions, whereas PDA-coated Ta2O5 cores successfully facilitated Au nanoparticle attachment. Increasing electron-beam dose enhanced surface-bound Au fraction from ≈32% at 5 kGy to ≈82% at 120 kGy, while increasing dose rate from 2.5 kGy/min to 80 kGy/min at 40 kGy reduced the anchoring of Au nanoparticles from ≈78% to ≈58%. Post-irradiation pH changing to the Ta2O5@PDA isoelectric point enables complete Au nanoparticle binding by minimizing electrostatic repulsion. Au nanoparticle size was tunable from approximately 5 to 13 nm by varying dose and precursor concentration. The synthesized hybrids demonstrated higher computed tomography (CT) contrast than iohexol and Ta2O5, highlighting their promising potential as next-generation CT contrast agents.