In this study, four cobalt ferrite@carbon nitride (CoFe2O4@g-C3N4) composites were prepared by co-precipitation method to achieve chemo-photodynamic synergistic cancer therapy. The effect of the morphology of g-C3N4 on the chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy of CoFe2O4@g-C3N4 (CFO@g-C3N4) was investigated in detail. CFO@PMCN with porous structures and CFO@CNT with a reticulated structure displayed high loading efficiencies of doxorubicin (DOX), exhibiting a pH-responsive release property and facilitating the delivery of DOX into cancer cells for chemotherapy. CFO@CNT possessed a higher photothermal performance for photothermal agents in cancer treatment compared with other CoFe2O4@g-C3N4 composites. In addition, more reactive oxygen species (ROS) was generated in the assistance of CFO@CNT under the irradiation condition for photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment. Based on the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy, the obtained CFO@CNT-DOX exhibited an excellent therapeutic effect and significant pH-responsive release characteristics confirmed by dimethylthiazol diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and dual staining fluorescence imaging analysis.
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