Comparative Photothermal Performance among Various Sub‐Stoichiometric 2D Oxygen‐Deficient Molybdenum Oxide Nanoflakes and In Vivo Toxicity

The present study deals with photothermal therapy of solid tumors using different forms of oxygen‐deficient sub‐stoichiometric two‐dimensional (2D) molybdenum oxide nanoflakes (α‐MoO3−x). Upon exfoliation of molybdenum oxide power using fine gridding followed by ultrasonication, bluish green molybdenum oxide (BG α‐MoO3) was obtained. Oxygen vacancies in BG were generated upon irradiation with an intense xenon lamp. Irradiating the BG for 3 and 5 h, deep blue (B) and olive green (G) oxygen‐deficient nanoflakes were obtained respectively. All exhibited high NIR absorption, making these nanomaterials suitable for photothermal therapy. All three forms were functionalized with polypyrrole (PPy@BG, PPy@B, PPy@G) to boost the photothermal stability and transduction efficiency. After functionalization and irradiation with 808 nm laser, the enhancement of temperature for BG, B, G was 50, 65, 52 °C respectively and the corresponding photothermal transduction efficiencies (PTE) were 29.32, 44.42 and 42.00 %. Each of the nanoflakes were found to be highly biocompatible and photostable both in vitro and in vivo. There was substantial decrease in the size of tumors after seven days of treatment on tumor‐bearing experimental mice models. Light treatment: Oxygen‐deficient α‐MoO3−x materials show great promise for use in photothermal therapy owing to their high NIR absorption. The nanoflakes exhibit high thermal and physiological stability along with high photothermal transduction efficiencies Their biocompatibility and fast excretion make these nanomaterials highly desirable for cancer phototherapy and biological imaging.