AIE-active iridium(iii) complex integrated with upconversion nanoparticles for NIR-irradiated photodynamic therapy

Abstract

The integration of an aggregation induced emission (AIE)-active Ir(iii) complex and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) has achieved a NIR-irradiated photosensitizer (PS), UCNPs@Ir-2-N. This PS has satisfactory biocompatibility, excellent phototoxicity, good accumulation in cells and high 1O2 generation ability, thereby effectively killing 4T1 mouse cancer cells in vitro. This work has potential for future photodynamic therapy (PDT) applications.