Photothermal Behavior Research Articles

Photothermal Properties of Solid-Supported Gold Nanorods.

Gold nanoparticles possess unique photothermal properties and have gained considerable interest in biomedical research, particularly for photothermal therapy (PTT). This study focuses on evaluating the photothermal properties of gold nanorods (AuNRs) supported on glass substrates upon excitation with near-infrared (NIR) light. Two aspect ratios of AuNRs were electrostatically immobilized onto glass with controlled coverage. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed to evaluate the photothermal behavior and morphological changes of the supported AuNRs during NIR laser irradiation. The XRD data sets were corroborated with scanning electron microscopy and Vis-NIR spectroscopy characterization. XRD revealed a linear temperature increase with laser power, aligning with theoretical predictions, and a slope dependent on the AuNR coverage, until the onset of morphology transformations around 120 °C. This study provides valuable insights into the photothermal properties of supported AuNRs, crucial for their application in PTT.

Dual-Level Reactive Oxygen Species Amplifier for Enhanced Photothermal-Chemodynamic Therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy is an appealing modality in cancer treatment. However, its therapeutic effectiveness is impeded by insufficient catalytic efficiency and overexpression of glutathione (GSH) at the tumor site. In this study, a poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PoPD)@copper sulfide (CuS) nanoplatform was developed as dual-level reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplifier for enhanced photothermal-chemodynamic therapy. The PoPD@CuS nanoplatform exhibited photothermal performance, chemodynamic performance, and GSH-depleting capability. Alongside its improved photothermal conversion efficiency with tumor pH-responsiveness, the photothermal behavior of PoPD@CuS could elevate chemodynamic activity by regulating the temperature spatiotemporally, leading to increased ROS production. Moreover, GSH depletion of PoPD@CuS could suppress ROS scavenging, further enhancing oxidative stress in the tumor region. Consequently, functioning as a dual-level ROS amplifier, PoPD@CuS showcased remarkable effectiveness in photothermal-chemodynamic combination therapy.

Ferrocene Derivatives for Photothermal Applications.

Ferrocene (Fc) and Fc derivatives have gained popularity in recent years due to their unique structure and characteristics. Among Fc's diverse performances, photothermal conversion, as a primary source of energy conversion, has sparked substantial study attention. This Review summaries Fc and Fc derivatives with photothermal characteristics, as well as their applications developed recently. First, methods for the synthesis of Fc-based materials are systematically discussed. Then, the photothermal conversion mechanism based on nonradiative relaxation is summarized. Furthermore, the most recent advances in Fc-based materials in photothermal applications are described, including photothermal degradation, photothermal antibacterial, photothermal therapies, photothermal catalysis, solar-driven water production, and photothermal CO2 separation. Finally, a summary and insights on the photothermal application of Fc-based materials are provided. This paper seeks to provide researchers with a better knowledge of photothermal behavior while also highlighting the potential of Fc and its derivatives in photothermal fields.

Unravelling molecular interactions in various alcohol-water binary mixtures using femtosecond laser-induced thermal lens spectroscopy

The FTLS (femtosecond laser-induced thermal lens spectroscopy) technique was utilized to explore the photothermal response and heat transfer dynamics in various water-based binary mixtures containing monohydric and polyhydric alcohols. Our results highlight the significant influence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions and the molecular properties of the mixture constituents on the photothermal behavior of both pure solvents and their binary mixtures. Notably, we observed distinct effects of water inclusion on the heat transfer characteristics of monohydric alcohols (such as methanol and ethanol) compared to polyhydric alcohols (such as ethylene glycol (Etg) and glycerol (Gly)). This discrepancy can be attributed to the formation of unique molecular structures via hydrogen bonding interactions, which effectively hinders the natural molecular dynamics of short-chain length alcohols. Conversely, polyhydric alcohols like Etg and Gly exhibit contrasting photothermal characteristics due to their extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Our investigations reveal that molecular attributes, such as chain length and the number of hydroxyl (-OH) groups, play a crucial role in altering the heat transfer mechanisms and thermal lens signal characteristics of the mixtures. These findings emphasize the sensitivity of FTLS as a probe for understanding the effects of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions on the molecular dynamics and thermo-optical properties of aqueous-alcoholic solutions.

Nanocomposites of polyhydroxyurethane with Fe3O4 nanoparticles: Synthesis, shape memory and photothermal properties

AbstractThe nanocomposites of ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) with polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) were fabricated via a physical mixing approach. This process involved grafting poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVPy) chains onto the surfaces of Fe3O4 nanoparticles via surface‐initiated living radical polymerization. The PVPy‐grafted Fe3O4 nanoparticles were directly incorporated into the precursors of PHUs [i.e., bis(cyclic carbonate) and a trifunctional amine] and the mixtures were cured at high temperatures to form organic–inorganic composites. This method ensured that Fe3O4 nanoparticles were finely dispersed within the PHU matrix through the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding between PVPy and PHU. Compared to plain PHU network, the nanocomposites had enhanced thermomechanical properties, including higher glass transition temperatures (Tg's) and improved tensile mechanical properties. The inclusion of Fe3O4 nanoparticles also enhanced the shape memory properties of the PHU networks, improving shape recovery rates, fixity of transient shapes, and recovery of the original shapes. In addition, the nanocomposites demonstrated paramagnetic and photothermal properties and the photothermal behavior enabled a non‐contact control of shape recovery.Highlights Poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone)‐grafted Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized. Nanocomposites of PHU with Fe3O4 were prepared via a physical blending approach. Incorporation of Fe3O4 resulted in improved thermomechanical properties. The nanocomposites had the photothermal properties.

Amplification of photothermally induced reversible actuation in non-woven fabrics compared to bulk films

The burgeoning field of soft robotics has witnessed a surge in interest, driven by the pursuit of creating precise machines with soft actuators capable of surpassing or aiding human manufacturing capabilities. This work explores light-responsive shape memory actuators derived from electrospun fibers, integrating a "push-pull" azo compound into a poly(ε-caprolactone) matrix. Driven by photothermal conversion, the resulting system exhibits reversible actuation under UV light, demonstrating rapid responses and superior performance compared to film counterparts. More specifically, the significant impact of morphology on both the photothermal behavior and the actuation performance is highlighted by comparing non-woven and bulk shape memory material. The temperature variation induced by UV light in the non-woven was notably affected by scattering effects, leading to the formation of temperature gradients throughout the material. Notably, the study establishes a unique stress-responsive range for fibrous actuators, demonstrating that their porous structure contributes to higher actuation magnitudes at lower stresses compared to conventional films. This innovation holds promise for applications in micro-robotics and biomedical fields, showcasing the potential of fibrous actuators in augmenting human-friendly robotics through their lightweight, flexible, and remotely actuated features.

Femtosecond laser ultrafast photothermal exsolution

Exsolution, as an effective approach to constructing particle-decorated interfaces, is still challenging to yield interfacial films rather than isolated particles. Inspired by in vivo near-infrared laser photothermal therapy, using 3 mol% Y2O3 stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) as host oxide matrix and iron-oxide (Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3/α-Fe2O3) materials as photothermal modulator and exsolution resource, femtosecond laser ultrafast exsolution approach is presented enabling to conquer this challenge. The key is to trigger photothermal annealing behavior via femtosecond laser ablation to initialize phase transition from monoclinic zirconia (m-ZrO2) to tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2) and induce t-ZrO2 columnar crystal growth. Fe-ions rapidly segregate along grain boundaries and diffuse towards the outmost surface, and become ‘frozen’, highlighting the potential to use photothermal materials and ultrafast heating/quenching behaviors of femtosecond laser ablation for interfacial exsolution. Triggering interfacial iron-oxide coloring exsolution is composition and concentration dependent. Photothermal materials themselves and corresponding photothermal transition capacity play a crucial role, initializing at 2 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% for Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3/α-Fe2O3 doped 3Y-TZP samples. Due to different photothermal effects, exsolution states of ablated 5 wt% Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3/α-Fe2O3-doped 3Y-TZP samples are totally different, with whole coverage, exhaustion (ablated away) and partial exsolution (rich in the grain boundaries in subsurface), respectively. Femtosecond laser ultrafast photothermal exsolution is uniquely featured by up to now the deepest microscale (10 μm from 5 wt%-Fe3O4-3Y-TZP sample) Fe-elemental deficient layer for exsolution and the whole coverage of exsolved materials rather than the formation of isolated exsolved particles by other methods. It is believed that this novel exsolution method may pave a good way to modulate interfacial properties for extensive applications in the fields of biology, optics/photonics, energy, catalysis, environment, etc.

A theoretical model considering the photochemical and photothermal behavior of arc radiation-induced gassing materials ablation

In this study, we introduce a theoretical model designed to explore both the photochemical and photothermal behavior of arc plasma radiation-induced ablation in gassing materials. We employ time-dependent density functional theory to analyze the photochemical behavior, while reactive force field molecular dynamics are used to explore the photothermal behavior. The phenomena, behavior and consequences of valence shell electronic excitation are analyzed in terms of ultraviolet (UV) absorption, electron-hole distribution, and Mayer bond order. Based on the photochemical findings, we apply a periodic electric field that corresponds to the vibration frequency of the permanent dipole moment to simulate infrared radiation, and convert UV photon energy into atomic kinetic energy to analyze UV radiation. This atomic-scale insight into photothermal behavior enables us to identify the final composition of ablation gases, including H2, CO, H2O, NH3, as well as specific cyanides, amines, and hydrocarbons. The results of the theoretical model and physical properties indicate that the concentration of hydrogen-containing gases in the ablation gas significantly affects the arc extinguishing capabilities of different polymers. Finally, we propose modification schemes suitable for polymers in power circuit breakers, considering UV absorption and smoke black production. Additionally, we present the potential application of theoretical models for calculating the ablation rate, necessitating further in-depth re-search.

Probing the Size Effect of Graphene Oxide Nanosheets on Ice Crystal Regulation and Laser-Assisted Rapid Rewarming.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted many researchers to explore the effect of ice control and rapid deicing due to their functional groups, large specific surface area, and excellent photothermal properties. However, the impact of size effects on ice crystal formation, growth, and photothermal performance has been rarely explored. Here, graphene oxide nanosheets (GO NSs) with controllable sizes were used as a representative of 2D nanomaterials to probe the effect of size on ice crystal regulation and rapid rewarming in cell cryopreservation. All sizes of GO NSs exhibited notable inhibitory effects on ice crystal size during the recrystallization process. Significantly, when the size of GO NSs was smaller than a certain size (<150 nm), they showed a more significant ice recrystallization suppression effects, which could reduce the ice crystal size to about 17% of that of pure water. Meanwhile, the photothermal experiments also indicated that smaller-sized GO NSs exhibited better photothermal behavior, with 90 nm GO NSs (GO-90) heating to 70 °C in just 1 min induced by an 808 nm laser (2 W/cm2). Furthermore, applying GO-90 (200 μg/mL) to cell cryopreservation, cell viability could reach 95.2% and 93% with a low amount of traditional cryoprotectant (2% v/v DMSO) for A549 cells and HeLa cells after recovery, respectively. With the assistance of a 808 nm laser, the rewarming time was also shortened to 20 s, greatly improving the rewarming rate. Our work associated specific sizes of 2D nanomaterials with their ice growth inhibition behaviors during recrystallization and photothermal properties to synergistically improve cell cryopreservation efficiency, providing guidance for effectively designing novel 2D nanomaterials for collaborative control of ice crystals in cell cryopreservation.

Fabrication of superior laccase-mimicking enzyme with catalytic oxidative and photothermal properties for anti-bacterial and dual-mode glutathione S-transferase monitoring

A novel laccase mimic enzyme Cu–Mn with excellent photothermal properties was firstly prepared via a combination of hydrothermal and in situ synthesis. Cu–Mn nanozymes could catalyze the typical laccase substrate 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP) to generate the red quinone imine. Further, loading the MnO2 nanosheets with photothermal properties, Cu–Mn nanozymes possessed not only excellent laccase catalytic activity, but also high photothermal conversion efficiency. The presence of glutathione S-transferase (GST) recovered the glutathione (GSH)-induced weakness of the laccase activity and photothermal properties of Cu–Mn. Hence, a GST enzyme-regulated dual-mode sensing strategy was established based on Cu–Mn nanozymes. The detection limits of GST monitoring based on colorimetric and photothermal methods were 0.092 and 0.087 U/L with response times of 20 min and 8 min, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed method enabled the measuring of GST levels in human serum and was successfully employed in the primary evaluation of hepatitis patients. Another attraction, the impressive photothermal behavior also endowed the Cu–Mn nanozymes with promising antimicrobial properties, which exhibited significant antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). Unsurprisingly, multifunctional Cu–Mn nanozymes certainly explore new paths in biochemical analysis and antimicrobial applications.

Mussel-inspired tissue adhesive composite hydrogel with photothermal and antioxidant properties prepared from pectin for burn wound healing

Biodegradable self-healing hydrogels with antibacterial property attracted growing attentions in biomedication as wound dressings since they can prevent bacterial infection and promote wound healing process. In this research, a biodegradable self-healing hydrogel with ROS scavenging performance and enhanced tissue adhesion was fabricated from dopamine grafted oxidized pectin (OPD) and naphthoate hydrazide terminated PEO (PEO NH). At the same time, Fe3+ ions were incorporated to endow the hydrogel with near-infrared (NIR) triggered photothermal property to obtain antibacterial activity. The composite hydrogel showed good hemostasis performance based on mussel inspired tissue adhesion with biocompatibility well preserved. As expected, the composition of FeCl3 improved conductivity and endowed photothermal property to the hydrogel. The in vivo wound repairing experiment revealed the 808 nm NIR light triggered photothermal behavior of the hydrogel reduced the inflammation response and promoted wound repairing rate. As a result, this composite FeCl3/hydrogel shows great potential to be an excellent wound dressing for the treatment of infection prong wounds with NIR triggers.

Twisted integration of high-efficiency photothermal/water-transported yarns for boosting solar-powered fabric evaporator

Positioned as high-efficiency low-cost desalination technology, solar interfacial vapor generation still remains challenging in precisely managing interfacial photothermal behaviors. Here, an integral solar-heating yarn twisted by both carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers and cotton yarns processed via carbon black slurry is developed for architecting high-efficiency fabric evaporators, where modified CNT and cotton serve as the solar-heating unit and water-supply unit, respectively. The unique structure of hybrid yarns features pronounced gradient photothermal difference of 5 °C between CNT and cotton regions in dry state, and meanwhile enables robust Marangoni vapor flows and weak hydration state. As a result, the crafted fabric evaporator has a superior evaporation rate of 2.83 kg m−2 h−1, which is the highest value reported among 2D fabric evaporators. This work introduces an innovative strategy for high-efficiency interfacial solar heating, significantly boosting evaporation performance of flexible and portable evaporators.

Biosustainable Hybrid Nanoplatforms as Photoacoustic Agents.

The development of biosafe theranostic nanoplatforms has attracted great attention due to their multifunctional behavior, reduced potential toxicity, and improved long-term safety. When considering photoacoustic contrast agents and photothermal conversion tools, melanin and constructs like melanin are highly appealing due to their ability to absorb optical energy and convert it into heat. Following a sustainable approach, in this study, silver-melanin like-silica nanoplatforms are synthesized exploiting different bio-available and inexpensive phenolic acids as potential melanogenic precursors and exploring their role in tuning the final systems architecture. The UV-Vis combined with X-Ray Diffraction investigation proves metallic silver formation, while Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis reveals that different morphologies can be obtained by properly selecting the phenolic precursors. By looking at the characterization results, a tentative formation mechanism is proposed to explain how phenolic precursors' redox behavior may affect the nanoplatforms' structure. The antibacterial activity experiments showed that all synthesized systems have a strong inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli, even at low concentrations. Furthermore, very sensitive Photoacoustic Imaging capabilities and significant photothermal behavior under laser irradiation are exhibited. Finally, a marked influence of phenol nature on the final system architecture is revealed resulting in a significant effect on both biological and photoacoustic features of the obtained systems. These melanin-based hybrid systems exhibit excellent potential as triggerable nanoplatforms for various biomedical applications.

Environmentally Friendly Photothermal Membranes for Halite Recovery from Reverse Osmosis Brine via Solar-Driven Membrane Crystallization.

Modern society and industrial development rely heavily on the availability of freshwater and minerals. Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) has been widely adopted for freshwater supply, although many questions have arisen about its environmental sustainability owing to the disposal of hypersaline rejected solutions (brine). This scenario has accelerated significant developments towards the hybridization of SWRO with membrane distillation-crystallization (MD-MCr), which can extract water and minerals from spent brine. Nevertheless, the substantial specific energy consumption associated with MD-MCr remains a significant limitation. In this work, energy harvesting was secured from renewables by hotspots embodied in the membranes, implementing the revolutionary approach of brine mining via photothermal membrane crystallization (PhMCr). This method employs self-heating nanostructured interfaces under solar radiation to enhance water evaporation, creating a carefully controlled supersaturated environment responsible for the extraction of minerals. Photothermal mixed matrix photothermal membranes (MMMs) were developed by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) or carbon black (CB) into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) solubilized in an eco-friendly solvent (i.e., triethyl phosphate (TEP)). MMMs were prepared using non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS). The effect of GO or GB on the morphology of MMMs and the photothermal behavior was examined. Light-to-heat conversion was used in PhMCr experiments to facilitate the evaporation of water from the SWRO brine to supersaturation, leading to sodium chloride (NaCl) nucleation and crystallization. Overall, the results indicate exciting perspectives of PhMCr in brine valorization for a sustainable desalination industry.

Comparative Study of the Photothermal Behavior of Polydopamine-, Polypyrrole-, and Carbon Nanotubes-based Materials

Comparative Study of the Photothermal Behavior of Polydopamine-, Polypyrrole-, and Carbon Nanotubes-based Materials

Layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics of graphene/polybenzimidazole functional composite film with excellent photo-thermal behavior and low electrical conductivity

Ice accumulation is considered one of the most severe threats for the safety and performance of transmission equipment, specifically power lines. Prevention of ice accumulation urgently requires photo-thermal materials with excellent photo-thermal and mechanical properties, as well as low electrical conductivity. Such materials can effectively remove ice from high voltage lines without causing electrical breakdown. Here, graphene/polybenzimidazole (GN/PBI) composite film was prepared using a layer-by-layer scraping method. The as-prepared composite film with 2.5 % graphene achieved a temperature as high as 80 ℃ under only 1.0 kW m−2 irradiation and high tensile strength of up to 139 MPa. Moreover, the obtained film maintained good insulating performance with electrical conductivity as low as 10-13 S/cm, even when filled with 5.0 wt% graphene. This work provides a general method for preparing composites with high photo-thermal and mechanical performance, as well as low electrical conductivity.

Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Carbon Nanotubes for NIR-Light Triggered Drug Delivery.

Photothermal nanocomposite hydrogels are promising materials for remotely triggering drug delivery by near-infrared (NIR) radiation stimuli. In this work, a novel hydrogel based on poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl methyl ether-alt-maleic acid), poly(vinyl methyl ether), and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-f) was prepared by the freeze/thaw method. A comparative characterization of materials (with and without MWCNT-f) was carried out by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical assays, swelling kinetics measurements, and photothermal analysis under NIR irradiation. Hydrophilic chemotherapeutic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and hydrophobic ibuprofen drugs were independently loaded into hydrogels, and the drug release profiles were obtained under passive and NIR-irradiation conditions. The concentration-dependent cytotoxicity of materials was studied in vitro using noncancerous cells and cancer cells. Notable changes in the microstructure and physicochemical properties of hydrogels were observed by adding a low content (0.2 wt %) of MWCNT-f. The cumulative release amounts of 5-FU and ibuprofen from the hydrogel containing MWCNT-f were significantly increased by 21 and 39%, respectively, through the application of short-term NIR irradiation pulses. Appropriate concentrations of the nanocomposite hydrogel loaded with 5-FU produced cytotoxicity in cancer cells without affecting noncancerous cells. The overall properties of the MWCNT-f-containing hydrogel and its photothermal behavior make it an attractive material to promote the release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, depending on the treatment requirements.

In Vitro Synergistic Photodynamic, Photothermal, Chemodynamic, and Starvation Therapy Performance of Chlorin e6 Immobilized, Polydopamine-Coated Hollow, Porous Ceria-Based, Hypoxia-Tolerant Nanozymes Carrying a Cascade System.

A synergistic therapy agent (STA) with photothermal, photodynamic, chemodynamic, and starvation therapy (PTT, PDT, CDT, and ST) functions was developed. Hollow, mesoporous, and nearly uniform CeO2 nanoparticles (H-CeO2 NPs) were synthesized using a staged shape templating sol-gel protocol. Chlorin e6 (Ce6) was adsorbed onto H-CeO2 NPs, and a thin polydopamine (PDA) layer was formed on Ce6-adsorbed H-CeO2 NPs. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was bound onto PDA-coated Ce6-adsorbed H-CeO2 NPs to obtain the targeted STA (H-CeO2@Ce6@PDA@GOx NPs). A reversible photothermal conversion behavior with the temperature elevations up to 34 °C was observed by NIR laser irradiation at 808 nm. A cascade enzyme system based on immobilized GOx and intrinsic catalase-like activity of H-CeO2 NPs was rendered on STA for enhancing the effectiveness of PDT by elevation of ROS generation and alleviation of hypoxia in a tumor microenvironment. Glucose-mediated generation of highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) was evaluated for CDT. The effectiveness of PDT on glioblastoma T98G cells was markedly enhanced by O2 generation started by the decomposition of glucose. A similar increase in cell death was also observed when ST and CDT functions were enhanced by photothermal action. The viability of T98G cells decreased to 10.6% by in vitro synergistic action including ST, CDT, PDT, and PTT without using any antitumor agent.

Atomic-scale insight into arc plasma radiation-induced gassing materials ablation: photothermal decomposition behavior

In this study, we present a novel computational atomistic study of the photothermal decomposition behavior of arc plasma on radiation-induced gassing materials ablation, studying a polyamide 66 (PA66) system using reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics (MD). We determine the infrared (IR) vibrational frequency of the PA66 permanent molecular dipole using MD and then computationally impose an electric field at the same frequency to simulate photothermal decomposition by IR, verifying our observations with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) of experimental decomposition. MD indicates that photothermal decomposition reaction is dominated by either cleavage at low temperature or cyclization at high temperature. At low temperature, initial chain scission takes place at the two amide C–N, and the remaining chains break down into a variety of molecular fragments and free radicals. Further increasing the temperature stabilizes a variety of branched chain structures via cyclization, debranching and polymerization, with further cleavage forming hydrocarbons and volatile small molecule gases. Overall, H2, CO, H2O, alkanes and alkenes are the main gaseous products and cyclic structures (especially nitrogen-containing three-membered ring) are the main solid products during the photothermal decomposition of PA66, and their formation results from a variety of complex chemical reactions. The results of MD cover the experimental observations of GCMS, demonstrating that this computational methodology helps us understand the molecular breakdown mechanisms of arc plasma radiation-induced gassing materials. We also discuss the physical mechanism by which the main gas can accelerate arc quenching, and the importance and necessity of using electric fields to simulate IR photothermal decomposition of arc-induced ablation.

MXene-Integrated Solid-Solid Phase Change Composites for Accelerating Solar-Thermal Energy Storage and Electric Conversion.

The high thermal storage density of phase change materials (PCMs) has attracted considerable attention in solar energy applications. However, the practicality of PCMs is often limited by the problems of leakage, poor solar-thermal conversion capability, and low thermal conductivity, resulting in low-efficiency solar energy storage. In this work, a new system of MXene-integrated solid-solid PCMs is presented as a promising solution for a solar-thermal energy storage and electric conversion system with high efficiency and energy density. The composite system's performance is enhanced by the intrinsic photo-thermal behavior of MXene and the heterogeneous phase transformation properties of PCM molecular chains. The optimal composites system has an impressive solar thermal energy storage efficiency of up to 94.5%, with an improved energy storage capacity of 149.5Jg-1 , even at a low MXene doping level of 5wt.%. Additionally, the composite structure shows improved thermal conductivity and high thermal cycling stability. Furthermore, a proof-of-concept solar-thermal-electric conversion device is designed based on the optimized M-SSPCMs and commercial thermoelectric generators, which exhibit excellent energy conversion efficiency. The results of this study highlight the potential of the developed PCM composites in high-efficiency solar energy utilization for advanced photo-thermal systems.