Abstract
The fabrication and advancement of multifunctional nanomaterials have long been a focus of attention in applied research. This is primarily attributed to their ability to integrate multiple desirable properties into a single material system, which not only enhances operational efficiency but also reduces the reliance on complex multi-component systems. Using a facile physical approach, we synthesized multifunctional metallic alloy nanomushrooms on nanowire featuring high-targeting precision and intense photoluminescence. The alloy core of the nanomushrooms, with superior electrical conductivity, significantly improves photothermal conversion efficiency. Meanwhile, their unique mushroom-like morphology enables dense loading of targeting molecules. This design allows simultaneous tumor cell visualization via enhanced fluorescence and their elimination via photothermal ablation. Experimental validation confirms its potential as a theranostic agent, overcoming limitations of current photoluminescent nanomaterials in biomedicine.
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Acknowledgements
Fundings for this work are the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (12574361); the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (grant no.2019SHZDZX01-06); and the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (23ZR1428400).
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H.D., X.C. designed the study. Y.Q., H.Q. carried out the experiments and analyzed the data. H.D., Y.Q. wrote the manuscript and processed some figures.
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Qi, Y., Qiu, H., Dai, H. et al. Multifunctional metallic nanomushrooms on nanowires for detecting and killing tumor cells. Commun Mater (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-026-01125-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-026-01125-w
