Synergistic Photothermal Effects Research Articles

Facile preparation of photothermal and superhydrophobic melamine sponge for oil/water separation and anti-icing

The preparation of superhydrophobic sponges with excellent physiochemical performance, affordability, and versatility is still a big challenge. Herein, a photothermal and superhydrophobic melamine sponge has been successfully achieved by decorating lignin particles (LPs)@MXene composite onto the skeletons of melamine sponge (MS) via the self-polymerization of dopamine. The obtained superhydrophobic MS (labeled as MS@PDA/LPs@MXene) shows a water contact angle of 153.7°, and maintains surface superhydrophobicity under harsh conditions (i.e., acidic, alkaline environments, high temperatures, frictional damage, and icing/de-icing cycles). Notably, the MS@PDA/LPs@MXene exhibits an exceptional oil adsorption capacity of carbon tetrachloride up to 143.6 times of its own weight, a high separation efficiency of 99.3 %, and a retained separation efficiency of 98.9 % after 15 cyclic adsorption processes, respectively. Owing to a synergistic photothermal effect of PDA and LPs@MXene, the MS@PDA/LPs@MXene possesses a maximum surface temperature of 62.8 °C under solar irradiation (1.0 kW/m2, 1 sun), and realizes the ice-free property at a low temperature of −17.9 °C (relative humidity, 90 %) on a continuous cooling stage under solar irradiation (0.5 sun). Furthermore, the LPs@MXene composite coating can be applied on various substrates (i.e., Al sheet, Cu sheet, filter paper, carbon cloth, steel mesh and NdFeB magnet) to obtain surface superhydrophobicity, showing excellent anti-corrosion property for the permanent NdFeB magnet. Thus, this paper proposes a facile and cost-effective strategy to prepare superhydrophobic melamine sponge with multifunctional properties, and provides new insights into the rational design of high-performance superhydrophobic sponges for their applications in oil/water separation and anti-icing.

Hierarchical TiO2-coated metal-organic framework-derived carbon material for efficient co-generation of drinkable water and electricity

Co-generation of drinkable water and electricity through interface solar steam generation process is gradually becoming the preferred strategy to solve the current energy shortage and freshwater resources crisis. Inspired by the biological channel structures, flexible carbonized TiO2@Co-MOF nickel foam (CTCNF) based photothermal material with hierarchical nano-arrays structure is successfully fabricated on nickel foam surfaces by atomic layer deposition combined with an ingenious carbonization scheme, which endows CTCNF with combined excellent abilities including seawater desalination, evaporation-induced electricity generation, and wastewater purification, that is a three-in-one photothermal configuration. With the synergistic photothermal effect and hierarchical structure, CTCNF achieves a solar absorption efficiency of 93.65 %. Moreover, benefiting from its abundant oxygen- and nitrogen- containing functional groups, CTCNF not only possesses excellent hydrophilicity and salt resistance, but also reduces the water evaporation enthalpy (from 2453.3 J g−1 to 1378.6 J g−1). Importantly, combined with ingenious design of the evaporation device, CTCNF not only capture energy from environment during the evaporation process, with an evaporation rate of 3.60 kg m−2 h−1 and an evaporation efficiency of 109.9 % under 1 sun, but also obtains an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 151.15 mV. This enriches the design ideas of high-performance photothermal materials for efficient co-generation of drinkable water and electricity.

Salt-resistant continuous solar evaporation composites based on nonwovens with synergistic photothermal effect of graphene oxide/copper sulphide.

Solar interfacial evaporation is an innovative and environmentally friendly technology for producing freshwater from seawater. However, current interfacial evaporators are costly to manufacture, have poor tolerance to environmental conditions, exhibit instability in evaporation efficiency in highly saline solutions, and fail to prevent salt crystallization. The production of user-friendly, durable and salt-resistant interfacial evaporators remains a significant challenge. By spraying graphene oxide on a nonwoven material using PVA as a binder and adding biphasic Cu x S by an in situ growth method, we designed 2D/3D micro- and nanostructured graphene oxide nanosheets/copper sulfide nanowires (GO/Cu x S) with synergistic photo-thermal effects in the full spectral range. The evaporation efficiency in pure water was 94.61% with an evaporation rate of 1.5622 kg m-2 h-1. In addition, we enhanced convection by employing a vertically aligned water-guide rod structure design, where the concentration difference drives salt dissolution thereby reducing the formation of salt crystals. The evaporation efficiency in 20% salt water was 80.41% with an evaporation rate of 1.3228 kg m-2 h-1 and long-term stability of brine evaporation was demonstrated under continuous sunlight. This solar steam generator expands the potential application areas of desalination and wastewater purification.

Construction of pH/NIR responsive silver sulfide metal-organic frameworks for photothermal/chemotherapy synergistic treatment of tumor

In recent years, photothermal therapy (PTT), a new type of therapy, has been gradually recognized as a rapidly developing technology, and many nanomaterials have been applied to PTT. One of the representative nanomaterials in this field is nanoscale silver sulfide with rising significance in biomedicine like cell imaging. However, there are not much researches on the use of silver sulfide nanomaterials in photothermal therapy. Thus, a novel core-shell nanostructure was fabricated by encapsulating a hollow silver sulfide (HAg2S) core with a zeolite imidazole acid skeleton (ZIF-8), which is a representative metal-organic framework (MOF) crystal, for the purpose of carrying doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). The as-prepared HAg2S/ZIF-8 core-shell nanostructure can be targeted by hyaluronic acid (HA) molecules that are able to bind with CD44 receptors over-expressed on a variety of cancer cells, thereby implementing synergistic photothermal effect and chemotherapeutic effect in near-infrared (NIR) region in association with multiple responses to pH, HA, and NIR as well as DOX release. In summary, the present approach could help to inject fresh vitality into the future cancer cure.

A photothermal responsive system accelerating nitric oxide release to enhance bone repair by promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis

Managing bone defects remains a formidable clinical hurdle, primarily attributed to the inadequate orchestration of vascular reconstruction and osteogenic differentiation in both spatial and temporal dimensions. This challenge persists due to the constrained availability of autogenous grafts and the limited regenerative capacity of allogeneic or synthetic bone substitutes, thus necessitating continual exploration and innovation in the realm of functional and bioactive bone graft materials. While synthetic scaffolds have emerged as promising carriers for bone grafts, their efficacy is curtailed by deficiencies in vascularization and osteoinductive potential. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in revascularization and bone tissue regeneration, yet studies related to the use of NO for the treatment of bone defects remain scarce. Herein, we present a pioneering approach leveraging a photothermal-responsive system to augment NO release. This system comprises macromolecular mPEG-P nanoparticles encapsulating indocyanine green (ICG) (NO-NPs@ICG) and a mPEG-PA-PP injectable thermosensitive hydrogel carrier. By harnessing the synergistic photothermal effects of near-infrared radiation and ICG, the system achieves sustained NO release, thereby activating the soluble guanylate cyclase (SGC)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling pathway both in vitro and in vivo. This orchestrated cascade culminates in the facilitation of angiogenesis and osteogenesis, thus expediting the reparative processes in bone defects. In a nutshell, the NO release-responsive system elucidated in this study presents a pioneering avenue for refining the bone tissue microenvironment and fostering enhanced bone regeneration.

Mesoporous polydopamine/copper sulfide hybrid nanocomposite for highly efficient NIR-triggered bacterial inactivation

Polydopamine has gained considerable attention in the biomaterial domain owing to its excellent biocompatibility, antioxidant activity, photothermal effect and adhesion property. Herein, copper sulfide (Cu2-xS) wrapped in mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) was synthesized through in-situ polymerization, followed by the surface modification with cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI). The mussel-inspired MPDA matrix successfully prevented the oxidation and agglomeration of Cu2-xS nanoparticles, and regulated the release of copper ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Surface-modified PEI endow MPDA@Cu2-xS with positive charges, facilitating their rapid contact with negatively charged bacteria through electrostatic interactions. The pH-dependent Cu+/Cu2+ release and NIR-responsive ROS generation were confirmed using molecular probes and electron spin resonance (ESR). The MPDA@Cu2-xS/PEI showed significantly enhanced antibacterial activity and reduced cytotoxicity for NIH3T3 cells. Under NIR irradiation (1.0 W/cm2, 10 min), germicidal efficiency against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphyloccocus aureus (S. aureus) could reach 100 % and 99.94 %, respectively. The exceptional antibacterial activities of MPDA@Cu2-xS/PEI was mainly attributed to the synergistic photothermal effect, controlled release of copper ions and ROS generation, as well as electrostatic interaction. More importantly, the MPDA@Cu2-xS/PEI composite exhibited excellent biocompatibility and biosafety. Overall, this organic/inorganic hybrid holds great potential as a promising candidate for wound treatment.

Light-promoted conversion of aliphatic alcohols to carboxylic acids over Pt-loaded BiVO4 in aqueous solution under ambient conditions

Developing eco-friendly approaches to activate C–H bonds in aliphatic alcohols to obtain valuable aliphatic acids remains a challenge. Here, we report an efficient and sustainable method for the selective oxidation of aliphatic alcohols to aliphatic acids via a rationally designed Pt-loaded BiVO4 (BVO) catalyst with enriched surface oxygen vacancies (OVs), achieving 59.2 % of 1-octanol conversion and 80.6 % of 1-octanoic acid selectivity within 6 h in the dark at room temperature. The production rate of 1-octanoic acid under visible light illumination (580.7 µmol/g/h) is 1.85 times higher than that under dark conditions due to the synergistic photo-thermal effect with selectivity as high as 96.2 %. Further investigations indicate that the abundant surface OVs of BVO accelerated the cleavage of HO-H at the defects, facilitating the conversion of aliphatic alcohol at room temperature in the dark. The intrinsic photocatalytic activity of BVO, combined with the synergistic photothermal effect of surface defects and Pt nanoparticles, further promote the conversion of aliphatic alcohols into aliphatic acids, improving conversion and selectivity under visible light illumination. The broad substrate scope highlights the great promise of this approach for aliphatic acid production via photocatalysis under ambient conditions.

NIR-II light-powered core-shell prodrug nanomotors enhance cancer therapy through synergistic oxidative stress-photothermo modulation

Near-infrared-II (NIR-II) photothermal therapy is emerging as a cutting-edge modality for tumor ablation due to its good biosafety, high penetration ability and spatiotemporal controllability. Despite efforts, establishing a link between cellular metabolic regulation and photothermal performance is still promising in synergistic cancer therapy. Herein, we developed a core-shell semiconducting polymer@metal-phenolic network (SP@GFP) nanomotor by assembling diphenol-terminated cisplatin prodrug ligand (cPt-DA) and iron (III) (Fe3+) through metal coordination on SP particles in the presence of GOx and DSPE-PEG-cRGD, for NIR-II-propelled self-propulsion and synergistic cancer therapy. Remotely driving the SP@GFP nanomotor with an NIR-II laser through a thermophoresis mechanism would allow for in-depth penetration and accumulation. The synergistic photothermal effect and continuous Fe2+-mediated ROS generation of SP@GFP nanomotor could activate photothermal, chemotherapeutic effects and ferroptosis pathway for cancer cells through reshaping cellular metabolic pathways (HSP and GPX4). By combining the concepts of chemotherapeutic prodrugs, catalytic ROS generation, photothermal response and cellular metabolic regulation, the NIR-II laser-controlled core-shell SP@GFP nanomotor displayed improved outcomes for enhanced cancer therapy through synergistic oxidative stress-photothermo modulation. Statement of significance•A NIR-II-powered core-shell SP@GFP prodrug nanomotor was constructed through metal coordination assembly for enhanced cancer therapy;•NIR-II laser propelled the propulsion of SP@GFP nanomotor through thermophoresis mechanism for in depth penetration and accumulation.•Therapeutic outcomes were improved through synergistic modulating oxidative stress and photothermal performance.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Multifunctional Responsive Core-Shell Microneedles for Dermatosis Treatment.

Microneedles have demonstrated value in targeted treatment of dermatosis. Current investigation aims to enhance the functions and optimize substance delivery to improve therapeutic effects. Here, we present innovative shell-core microneedles with light-pH dual responsiveness for spatiotemporal sequential release of multiple Chinese herb drugs to treat scleroderma. By using a stepwise template-assisted method, we effectively prepare a hydrogel-based core layer containing polydopamine-MXene (P-MXene) loaded with triptolide (TP), and a shell layer composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) encapsulating paeoniflorin (Pae). P-MXene can adsorb the sparingly soluble TP to ensure its encapsulation efficiency and contribute to the synergistic photothermal effect benefitting from its excellent photothermal conversion ability. Besides, PVA can rapidly dissolve upon microneedle piercing into the skin and quickly release the anti-inflammatory and detoxifying Pae, establishing a favorable low-acid subcutaneous environment. In response to pH changes and near-infrared effects, TP is sustainably released from P-MXene and delivered through the swollen pores of the hydrogel. On the basis of these characteristics, we demonstrate that these microneedles could effectively reduce profibrotic key cytokines interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor-β, thereby reducing collagen deposition and decreasing epidermal thickness, ameliorating skin fibrosis and capillary lesion in scleroderma mouse models. These findings highlight the important clinical potential of these microneedles in the treatment of skin diseases.

Investigation into the photothermal catalytic CO2 decomposition over CeO2 with different morphologies: Behaviors of oxygen vacancies

CO2 is a viable renewable energy source, as global CO2 emissions are perennially increasing. The decomposition of CO2 to CO and O2 through high-temperature cracking of metal oxides via a two-step thermochemical cycle has been an effective strategy to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. However, this thermochemical cycle requires a high reaction temperature (1273 K). Hence, in this study, we investigated photothermal CO2 decomposition over three CeO2 catalysts with different morphologies: porous CeO2 nanosheets (2D-CeO2), cubic-shaped CeO2 (C-CeO2), and octahedral CeO2 (O-CeO2). The photothermal synergistic effect eliminated the necessity of high temperatures, where light illumination increased the generation of oxygen vacancies and electron transfer to promote CO2 decomposition. The maximum rate of CO production by 2D-CeO2 at 250 °C was 69 μmol g-1h−1, which is significantly higher than those of O-CeO2 (47 μmol g-1h−1) and C-CeO2 (19 μmol g-1h−1). However, no activity was observed in dark conditions, even at 250 °C. In-situ DRIFTS, quasi in-situ EPR, XPS, and Ar-TPD experiments revealed that light irradiation promotes the production of oxygen vacancies on the catalyst surface and generates the intermediate CO2•− species, which cleave the C=O bonds and CO2 conversion, while temperature promotes the adsorption of CO2 on the catalyst surface and facilitates electron transfer. DFT calculations revealed the differences in oxygen vacancy formation and CO2 adsorption among various exposed crystal facets of CeO2. These findings provide new avenues for CO2 decomposition based on the adsorption and activation of CO2 on metal oxide surfaces and the low-temperature synergistic photothermal effect.

Construction of Au-modified CN-based donor-acceptor system coupled with dual photothermal effects for efficient photoreduction of carbon dioxide

Conversion of CO2 into high value-added fuels through the photothermal effect is an effective approach for utilizing solar energy. In this study, we prepared the CN-based photocatalyst Py-CTN-Au with both donor-acceptor (D-A) system and dual photothermal effects using a simple two-step method involving calcination and photo-deposition. Real-time monitoring with a thermal imaging camera revealed that Py-CTN-Au0.5 achieved a maximum stable temperature of 180 °C, which was approximately 1.2 times higher than that of Py-CTN (155 °C) and 1.9 times higher than that of g-CN (95 °C) under the same reaction conditions. Under the optimized reaction conditions, Py-CTN-Au0.5 exhibited a CO release rate of 30.59 umol g−1 after 4 h of reaction, which was 7.3 times higher than that of pure g-CN (4.18 umol g−1). The D-A system not only facilitated the separation and transformation of charge carriers but also induced a photothermal effect to accelerate the photoreduction of CO2. Additionally, the cocatalyst Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) further enhanced the charge carrier dynamics and photothermal effect by increasing the built-in electric field intensity and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, respectively. The dual photothermal effects resulting from the non-radiative photon conversion of the D-A structure and the Au NPs LSPR effect, along with the enhanced charge carrier dynamics, catalyzed the efficient photoreduction of CO2. DFT simulations were used to confirm the effect of D-A system and Au NPs. In-situ FTIR results demonstrated that the synergistic photothermal effect promoted the formation of the key intermediate species COOH*, which is beneficial for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. This study provides valuable insights into the multiple photothermal synergistic effects in photocatalytic reactions.

Self-Assembly of 2D Polyphthalocyanine in Lysosome Enables Multienzyme Activity Enhancement to Induce Tumor Ferroptosis.

Nanozymes show great potential in facilitating tumor ferroptosis by upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and downregulation of glutathione (GSH). However, mild acidity (pH 6.5-6.9) of tumor microenvironment severely restricts the activity of nanozymes. Although lysosomes as acidic organelles (pH = 3.5-5.5) are hopeful for improving enzyme-like activity, most reported nanozymes are not capable of effectively accumulating in the lysosomes. Herein, an acid-responsive self-assembly strategy based on iron phthalocyanine-rich covalent organic framework nanosheets (COFFePc NSs) is developed, which enables lysosomal targeting aggregation of COFFePc NSs due to the existence of abundant negative hydroxyl groups and rigid structure. Meanwhile, COFFePc NSs display exceptional multienzyme-mimic performance at lower pH to efficiently generate ROS to cause lysosome damage and apoptosis by synergistic photothermal effect. Subsequently, the released COFFePc with GSH oxidase-mimicking activity can consume GSH to promote ferroptosis. This is the first report of a 2D COF using its own properties to achieve lysosomal self-assembly. Overall, the work provides a new paradigm for the development of lysosome-targeted nanosystems.

In situ thermosensitive H2O2/NO self-sufficient hydrogel for photothermal ferroptosis of triple-negative breast cancer.

L-Arginine (LA), a semi-essential amino acid in the human body, holds significant potential in cancer therapy due to its ability to generate nitric oxide (NO) continuously in the presence of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) or reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the efficiency of NO production in tumor tissue is severely constrained by the hypoxic and H2O2-deficient tumor microenvironment (TME). To address this issue, we have developed calcium peroxide (CaO2) nanoparticles capable of supplying O2/H2O2, which encapsulate and oxidize an LA-modified lipid bilayer to enable controlled localized NO generation in the presence of ROS, synergising with a ferroptosis inducer, RSL-3 (CPIR NPs). The synthesized nanoparticles were tested in vitro for their anticancer activity in 4T1 cells. To address challenges related to specificity and frequent dosing, we developed an in situ thermosensitive injectable hydrogel incorporating CPIR nanoparticles. Cross-linking at 60 °C creates a self-sufficient formulation, releasing NO/H2O2 to combat tumor hypoxia. RSL-3 induces ferroptosis, contributing to a synergistic photothermal effect and eliminating tumor in vivo.

Polydopamine/Fe3O4 modified wood-based evaporator for efficient and continuous water purification

Solar interfacial evaporation is a highly promising technology for seawater desalination and wastewater treatment, while the simple preparation processes and efficient production of clean water based on biomass interfacial evaporators still need further exploration and development. Here, we reported a wood-based evaporator (PFDW) loaded with Fe3O4 and polydopamine (PDA) after simple immersion treatment at room temperature for efficient and continuous water purification. The synergistic photothermal effect of PDA coating and Fe3O4 particles enables the evaporator to achieve high photothermal conversion efficiency in the longer wavelength range, while combined with the rapid water transport capacity endowed by the vertically aligned microporous structure of natural wood, it achieved an evaporation rate of 1.70 kg m-2h−1 and an energy efficiency of 98.0% under 1 kW m−2 irradiation. In addition, the prepared PFDW exhibited sustainable desalination stability and excellent removal efficiency for different water sources including organic dye wastewater, heavy metal effluent, oil–water emulsion and river water. This work provides a new avenue for efficient salt-tolerant portable evaporators.

Catalysis co-calcination: An available and energy-saving approach to prepare metal/carbon materials with well hydrophobicity and photo-thermal conversion performance

Benefitting from its lightweight, low cost and considerable liquid holding capability, bio-based 3D carbon materials with considerable hydrophobicity have stood out as effective oil-water separators to address oily water problems. However, in order to obtain ideal hydrophobicity, recent approaches such as the thermal-induced sp2-hybridization and nano-texturing construction are energy-consuming and complicated, limiting the large-scale production. Here, through the catalysis co-calcination of transition metals salts (TMSs) and biomass precursor, agriculture solid waste-sugarcane residues were successfully converted to hydrophobic photo-thermal metal/carbon materials (CMs) with lower calcination temperature. Comparing with normal carbonization method, catalysis co-calcination can achieve higher carbonization degree and larger yield with lower consumption energy. The as-prepared Cu-CMs can adsorb 18.49 g/g, 31.33 g/g, 24.45 g/g, 38.25 g/g, and 41.98 g/g of DMF, toluene, methanol, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, respectively, showing excellent adsorption capability towards organic solvents. Moreover, owing to the synergistic photothermal effect of carbon skeleton and metal remains, the metal/carbon materials can heat the oil efficiently and show better adsorption performance for high-viscous oil. The catalysis co-calcination method is demonstrated as a promising method to produce CMs with unique properties and the metal/carbon materials is also supposed to be an effective wastewater treat materials.

Floating metal phthalocyanine@polyacrylonitrile nanofibers for peroxymonosulfate activation: Synergistic photothermal effects and highly efficient flowing wastewater treatment

Highly efficient floating photocatalysis has potential applications in organic pollutant treatment but remains limited by low degradation efficiency in practical applications. By introducing the photothermal effect into a peroxymonosulfate (PMS) coupled photocatalysis system, tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) degradation could be significantly enhanced using floating metal phthalocyanine@polyacrylonitrile (MPc@PAN) nanofiber mats. MPc@PAN nanofibers with different metal centers showed similar photothermal conversion performance but different activation energies for PMS activation, resulting in metal-center-dependent synergistic photothermal effects, i.e., light-enhanced dominated, thermal-enhanced dominated, and conjointly light-thermal dominated mechanisms. The porous structures and floating ability of the FePc@PAN nanofibers provided a fast mass transfer process, with higher solar energy utilization and superior photothermal conversion performance than the FePc nanopowders. Meanwhile, the FePc@PAN nanofibers showed excellent TCH removal stability within 10 cycles (>92%) and extremely low Fe ion leaching (<0.055 mg/L) in a dual-channel flowing wastewater treatment system. This work provides new insight into PMS activation via photothermal effects for environmental remediation.

Side Chain Engineering of Amphiphilic Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles for Biofilm Ablation

AbstractBiofilm recalcitrance, which enables bacteria to survive deep within the body under antimicrobial treatment, leading to persistent infections by reducing the penetration of antimicrobials, remains a major challenge in the antibacterial field. Conjugated polymer‐based nanoparticles with near‐infrared (NIR) photo responsiveness have emerged as a promising class of photothermal agents for biofilm ablation. However, the development of CPNs has been limited due to dissociation of the nanoparticles synthesized through nanoprecipitation. In this study, surface‐functionalized amphiphilic conjugated polymer‐based nanoparticles with photothermal conversion capacity for pH‐responsive targeting of bacteria are developed. The pH‐sensitive properties of the nanoparticles promote their adhesion to negatively charged bacterial surfaces, resulting in accumulation in biofilms. This accumulation enhances the ablation efficiency of biofilms under the synergistic photothermal effect. The method of constructing functional amphiphilic conjugated polymer‐based nanoparticles is simple to operate and can be used universally, providing a potential design option for biocompatible light‐responsive nanoparticles for in vivo applications.

Noninvasive Strategies for the Treatment of Tiny Liver Cancer: Integrating Photothermal Therapy and Multimodality Imaging EpCAM-Guided Nanoparticles

Surgical resection and ablation therapy have been shown to achieve the purpose of a radical cure for liver cancer with a size of less than 3 cm; however, tiny liver cancer lesions of diameters smaller than 2 cm remain challenging to diagnose and cure due to the failure of the generation of new blood vessels within tumors. Emerging evidence has revealed that optical molecular imaging combined with nanoprobes can detect tiny cancer from the perspective of molecular and cellular levels and kill cancer cells by the photothermal effect of nanoparticles in real time, thereby achieving radical goals. In the present study, we designed and synthesized multicomponent and multifunctional ICG-CuS-Gd@BSA-EpCAM nanoparticles (NPs) with a potent antineoplastic effect on tiny liver cancer. Using subcutaneous and orthotopic liver cancer xenograft mouse models, we found that the components of the NPs, including ICG and CuS-Gd@BSA, showed synergistic photothermal effects on the eradication of tiny liver cancer. We also found that the ICG-CuS-Gd@BSA-EpCAM NPs exhibited triple-modal functions of fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and photoacoustic imaging, with targeted detection and photothermal treatment of tiny liver cancer under near-infrared light irradiation. Together, our study demonstrates that the ICG-CuS-Gd@BSA-EpCAM NPs in combination with optical imaging technique might be a potential approach for detecting and noninvasively and radically curing tiny liver cancer by the photothermal effect.

Synergistic Photothermal Effect of the Wood‐SnS‐AgNPs for Efficient Solar‐Driven Steam Generation

The solar‐driven interfacial evaporation system has attracted much attention in recent years because it avoids dissipating a large amount of energy into the bulk water. As one of the photothermal materials in solar‐driven interfacial evaporation system, wood has been widely applied due to its excellent properties, such as lower density, open micropores, capillary‐induced hydrophilic nature, and low thermal conductivity. However, the complex processing technology and relatively low efficiency of wood‐based photothermal materials limit their application. Herein, to solve these problems, solvothermal and immersion treatment methods by depositing tin sulfide and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been demonstrated. The solar absorption rate of wood‐SnS‐AgNPs is higher than 98% in a wide wavelength range (200–2,500 nm). Results demonstrate that an evaporation rate of 1.53 kg m−2 h−1 and evaporation efficiency (90.12%) are achieved under 1‐sun illumination (100 mW cm−2). The harsh environmental test indicates that the solar‐driven interfacial evaporation system based on wood‐SnS‐AgNPs has excellent structural stability and purification ability of seawater.

Biomimetic vertically aligned aerogel with synergistic photothermal effect enables efficient solar-driven desalination

Taking sustainable solar energy for efficient rapid clean water production is eagerly desired to overcome the water shortage issue. However, great challenges remain in constructing short water transport channels and enhancing sunlight utilization efficiency. Herein, a biomimetic solar-driven interfacial evaporator with rapid water transport and high photothermal conversion efficiency inspired by natural-trees was successfully developed, via engineer vertically aligned hydrophilic sodium alginate (SA) aerogels while hierarchically assembled MXene interwoven carbon nanotube (CNT) networks as micro/nano light absorb layer. Due to the synergistic photothermal effect between 2D MXene nanosheets and 1D CNT with multiple reflective nanostructure and strong light-absorption over a broad spectrum, and super-hydrophilic SA with highly oriented water transport channels, which enables fast water/vapor transport while utilizing solar energy efficiently. Vertically aligned aerogel exhibits an excellent water evaporation performance which as high as 2.416 kg m−2 h−1 (deducting dark conditions) and remarkable solar energy utilizing efficiency of 90.56 %, which are extremely higher than that of most reported desalination devices. Furthermore, the solar-driven evaporator also exhibits strong antibacterial properties and long-term operation stability. The biomimetic vertically aligned aerogel with excellent water evaporation and light utilization efficiency holds great promise for high-performance water purification and desalination applications. Synopsis statementResearch on the rapid clean water production from wastewater/seawater with high solar energy utilization efficiency has become a hot topic, and solar-driven desalination offers a sustainable solution to meet water demands. This study reports a biomimetic solar-driven interfacial evaporator with oriented water transport nanochannel and multi-reflective solar absorber for efficient clean water production.