Facile synthesis of ultrasmall Bi2O3 nanoparticles for computed tomography imaging

Tam Le; Yen Nguyen; Ngoc Duong; Nguyet Ha; Dung Hoang; Thanh Ngo; Dung Nguyen; Dung Ngo; Lu Le

doi:10.62239/jca.2025.062

Authors

Le Thi Thanh Tam Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM.
Nguyen Thi Yen Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM
Duong Thi Ngoc Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM
Ha Minh Nguyet Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM
Hoang Tran Dung Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM
Ngo Ba Thanh Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM.
Nguyen Tuan Dung Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM.
Ngo Thanh Dung Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM
Le Trong Lu Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, VIETNAM

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62239/jca.2025.062

Keywords:

Bi2O3 nanoparticles, Polyacrylic acid coating, polyol synthesis, X-ray attenuation, CT contrast agent

Abstract

Ultrasmall bismuth oxide nanoparticles (Bi₂O₃ NP) are emerging as promising CT contrast agents owing to their high atomic number, strong X-ray attenuation, and versatile surface chemistry. Herein, we report a facile one-pot polyol synthesis of Bi₂O₃ NPs using triethylene glycol and polyacrylic acid (PAA), which acts as both surfactant and biocompatible coating. The obtained Bi₂O₃@PAA NPs exhibit an average core size of ~4.4 nm, uniform dispersion, and excellent aqueous stability. Their structural and surface characteristics were comprehensively confirmed by TEM, XRD, DLS, FTIR and TGA analyses. In vitro CT imaging experiments demonstrated that Bi₂O₃@PAA NPs produced a linear and concentration-dependent enhancement in Hounsfield units (HU), achieving an X-ray attenuation efficiency significantly higher than that of the commercial iodine-based contrast agent iobitridol under identical conditions. These findings highlight the potential of ultrasmall Bi₂O₃@PAA NPs as next-generation CT contrast agents.

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