Explore the vast range of titles available.

The strategy of incorporating polymers into MXene-based functional materials has been widely used to improve their mechanical properties, however with inevitable sacrifice of their electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. This study demonstrates a facile yet efficient layering structure design to prepare the highly robust and conductive double-layer Janus films comprised of independent aramid nanofiber (ANF) and Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layers. The ANF layer serves to provide good mechanical stability, whilst the MXene/PEDOT:PSS layer ensures excellent electrical conductivity. Doping PEDOT:PSS into the MXene layer enhances the interfacial bonding strength between the MXene and ANF layers and improves the hydrophobicity and water/oxidation resistance of MXene layer. The resultant ANF/MXene-PEDOT:PSS Janus film with a conductive layer thickness of 4.4 µm was shown to display low sheet resistance (2.18 Ω/sq), good EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE of 48.1 dB), high mechanical strength (155.9 MPa), and overall toughness (19.4 MJ/m 3 ). Moreover, the excellent electrical conductivity and light absorption capacity of the MXene-PEDOT:PSS conductive layer mean that these Janus films display multi-source driven heating functions, producing excellent Joule heating (382 °C at 4 V) and photothermal conversion (59.6 °C at 100 mW/m 2 ) properties.

Photothermal materials have gained considerable attention in the field of anti‐/de‐icing due to its environmental friendliness and energy saving. However, it is always significantly challenging to obtain solar thermal materials with hierarchical structure and simultaneously demonstrate both the ultra‐long icing delay ability and the superior photothermal de‐icing ability. Here, a photothermal icephobic MOF‐based micro and nanostructure surface (MOF‐MNS) is presented, which consists of micron groove structure and fluorinated MOF nanowhiskers. The optimal MOF‐M250NS can achieve solar absorption of over 98% and produce a high temperature increment of 65.5 °C under 1‐sun illumination. Such superior photothermal‐conversion mechanism of MOF‐M250NS is elucidated in depth. In addition, the MOF‐M250NS generates an ultra‐long icing delay time of ≈3960 s at −18 °C without solar illumination, achieving the longest delay time, which isn't reported before. Due to its excellent solar‐to‐heat conversation ability, accumulated ice and frost on MOF‐M250NS can be rapidly melted within 720 s under 1‐sun illumination and it also holds a high de‐icing rate of 5.8 kg m−2 h−1. MOF‐M250NS possesses the versatility of mechanical robustness, chemical stability, and low temperature self‐cleaning, which can synergistically reinforce the usage of icephobic surfaces in harsh conditions. A novel anti‐/de‐icing material (MOF‐M250NS) is designed by combining micron grooves and Cu‐MOF nanowires structures, achieving robust icing delay time of 3960 s at −18 °C, and high‐efficient photothermal de‐icing performance of 720 s even surface at −20 °C, due to a synergistic effect of hierarchical micro‐nanostructures for solar absorption and effective sunlight‐trapped for thermal converting.

The urgent demand for renewable energy solutions, propelled by the global energy crisis and environmental concerns, has spurred the creation of innovative materials for solar thermal storage. Photothermal phase change materials (PTPCMs) represent a novel type of composite phase change material (PCM) aimed at improving thermal storage efficiency by incorporating photothermal materials into traditional PCMs and encapsulating them within porous structures. Various porous encapsulation materials have been studied, including porous carbon, expanded graphite, and ceramics, but issues like brittleness hinder their practical use. To overcome these limitations, flexible PTPCMs using organic porous polymers—like foams, hydrogels, and porous wood—have emerged, offering high porosity and lightweight characteristics. This review examines recent advancements in the preparation of PTPCMs based on porous polymer supports through techniques like impregnation and in situ polymerization, assessing the impact of different porous polymer materials on PCM performance and clarifying the mechanisms of photothermal conversion and heat storage. Subsequently, the most recent advancements in the applications of porous polymer‐based PTPCMs are systematically summarized, and future research challenges and possible solutions are discussed. This review aims to foster awareness about the potential of PTPCMs in promoting environmentally friendly energy practices and catalyzing further research in this promising field. This article introduces the latest progress in the preparation and application of PTPCMs based on porous polymer carriers, evaluates the influence of different porous polymer materials on the performance of PTPCMs, elucidates the mechanisms of photothermal conversion and heat storage, and discusses future research challenges and possible solutions.

Herein, we perform a topological transformation by guest induction, converting [2]catenane Rh-1 into the Rh-3 molecular figure-of-eight. The transformation involves the interaction of longer π -acceptor half-sandwich Rh III bimetallic building block B1 [(Cp*Rh) 2 (TPPHZ)](OTf) 4 and π -donor bipyridyl ligands 4,4′-bis((pyridin-4-ylthio)methyl)-1,1′-biphenyl with four molecules of pyrene under ambient temperature in high yields. Intriguingly, despite the involvement of a single pyrene molecule in modifying [2]catenane Rh-2 by transitioning B1 to B2 , the underlying skeleton of Rh-2 remains unaltered. Furthermore, we explored the application of these substances before and after the reaction for near-infrared (NIR) photothermal conversion. Through meticulous structural analysis, the π – π stacking interactions play a pivotal role in stabilizing the abovementioned structures, enhancing the nonradiative transitions and initiating photothermal conversion in solution. Based on the results, the introduction of pyrene significantly intensified the π – π stacking interactions but diminished the electron density between the adjacent NDI units, leading to a decrease in the NIR photothermal conversion efficiency (from 58.29% to 51.60%). In this study, an innovative approach is introduced for fabricating valuable half-sandwich-structured NIR photothermal conversion materials, and this research has promising prospects for enhancing the field of materials science with potential candidates for future development.

In recent years, phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used in waste heat utilization, buildings, and solar and wind energy, but with a huge limitation from the low thermal conductivity, photothermal conversion efficiency, and low latent heat. Organic PCMs are eyecatching because of its high latent heat storage capability and reliability, but they still suffer from a lack of photothermal conversion and sharp stability. Here, we prepared sharp-stable PCMs by establishing a carbon material frame system consisting of graphene oxide (GO) and biochar. In particular, surfactants (CTAB, KH-560 and KH-570) were employed to improve the dispersity of GO in PEG. The differential scanning calorimetry results shows that the latent heat of PEG modified by CTAB grafted GO (PGO-CTAB) was the highest (191.36 J/g) and increased by 18.31% compared to that of pure PEG (161.74 J/g). After encapsulation of PGO-CTAB in biochar, the obtained composite PCM with the amount of biochar and PGO-CTAB in weight ratio 4:6 (PGO-CTAB/CS6(6)) possesses relatively high latent heat 106.51 J/g with good leak resistance and thermal stability, and with obviously enhanced thermal conductivity (0.337 W/(m·K)) and photothermal conversion efficiency (77.43%), which were higher than that of PEG6000 (0.325 W/(m·K), 44.63%). The enhancement mechanism of heat transfer and photothermal conversion on the composite PCM is discussed.

A new near-infrared-based photothermal immunosensing strategy was developed for the sensitive and feasible detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) by use of a Prussian blue nanoparticle-based photothermal conversion system. Prussian blue nanospheres synthesized by the one-pot method were used for the labeling of anti-HCG detection antibody. A sandwich-type immunoreaction was initially conducted on a monoclonal anti-HCG antibody-coated microplate with a nanoparticle-labeled signal antibody. Accompanying formation of the sandwiched immunocomplex, Prussian blue nanospheres caused photothermal conversion under 980-nm laser irradiation, thereby resulting in an increase of the temperature of the detection system measured by a portable digital thermometer. The properties and factors influencing the analytical performance of the photothermal immunoassay were studied in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the Prussian blue nanoparticle-based photothermal immunoassay exhibited good temperature responses relative to target HCG concentrations within the dynamic range of 0.01–100 ng mL-1 at a low detection limit of 5.8 pg mL-1. This system also displayed good anti-interference behavior with regard to other cancer biomarkers, good reproducibility, and relatively long storage stability. The method accuracy was evaluated for analysis of human serum specimens, giving results that matched well with those obtained with a commercial HCG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Importantly, this protocol is promising for advanced development of photothermal immunoassays.

Nanomaterials with intense near-infrared （NIR） absorption exhibit effective photon-to-thermal energy transfer capabilities and can generate heat to ablate cancer cells, thus playing a pivotal role in photothermal cancer therapeutics. Herein, hydrophilic flower-like bismuth sulfur （Bi2S3） superstructures with uniform size and improved NIR absorption were controllably synthesized via a facile solvothermal procedure assisted by polyvinylpyrrolidone （PVP）, which could adjust the product morphology. Induced by an 808-nm laser, the as-prepared Bi2S3 nanoflowers exhibited much higher photothermal conversion efficiency （64.3%） than that of Bi2S3 nanobelts （36.5%） prepared in the absence of PVP. This can be attributed not only to the Bi2S3 nanoflower superstructures assembled by 3-dimensional crumpled-paper-like nanosheets serving as many laser-cavity mirrors with improved reflectivity and absorption of NIR light but also to the amorphous structures with a lower band gap. Thus, to achieve the same temperature increase, the concentration or laser power density could be greatly reduced when using Bi2S3 nanoflowers compared to when using Bi2S3 nanobelts, which makes them more favorable for use in therapy due to decreased toxicity. Furthermore, these Bi2S3 nanoflowers effectively achieved photothermal ablation of cancer ceils in vitro and in vivo. These results not only supported the Bi2S3 nanoflowers as a promising photothermal agent for cancer therapy but also paved an approach to exploit new agents with improved photothermal efficiency.

The development of photothermal agents with high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and long absorption wavelengths is crucial for safe and effective anti-cancer treatment. However, achieving these advantages often requires precise molecular design and complex synthetic procedures. In this study, we present a simple, precise, and effective method for fabricating photothermal agents with high PCE using long wavelength excitation. This approach involves linking two electron-donating components, diphenylamine (DPA), and an electron-withdrawing squaraine (SQ), via a π-bridge thiophene (T). The resulting D-π-A-π-D structure leads to a red-shifted absorption band. Within the DTS structure, DPA functions as a molecular rotor, T serves as a coplanar backbone, and SQ promotes J aggregation. When DTS nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated using an amphiphilic nano-carrier, the maximum absorption wavelength shifts from 701 to 803 nm. This shift is accompanied by reduced fluorescence and an exceptionally high PCE of 86.0 %. Both in vitro and in vivo assessments confirm that DTS NPs exhibit strong potential for photothermal antitumor therapy. Overall, this strategy offers a valuable framework for designing photothermal agents with clinical applications in mind, offering a simpler and more efficient approach to achieving high PCE and long absorption wavelengths. [Display omitted] •Squaraine-based D-π-A-π-D type photothermal agents (DTS) were synthesized.•The fabricated DTS nanoparticles exhibited an impressive PCE of 86.0 % under an 808 nm laser.•The theoretical calculation results revealed the mechanism of its ultra-high PCE.•The DTS nanoparticles demonstrated remarkable stability and efficient antitumor performance both in vitro and in vivo.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) represents a promising advance in oncological treatments, utilizing light-induced heat mediated by photothermal agents to target and destroy cancer cells with high precision. Despite its potential, the clinical application of PTT is often limited by the efficiency of photothermal agents and their biocompatibility, highlighting a crucial need for novel materials that can safely and effectively convert light into therapeutic heat. This study demonstrates the two-dimensional Bi2Se3 nanosheets with tailored nanostructure via a solvothermal process. This study controls over their structural and photothermal properties by accurately optimizing synthesis conditions. In situ experiments provide insights into the crystallographic and phonon characteristics at varying temperatures, underscoring the thermal stability of Bi2Se3 nanosheets. Notably, these nanosheets demonstrate a high photothermal conversion efficiency, rapidly raising the tumor site temperature to 53.1 °C within 180 s, resulting in rapid tumor cell ablation. Significant tumor growth suppression is also observed, with the median survival of mice treated with the particle and light combination extending to 34 days. These findings confirm the stable in vivo thermal properties of Bi2Se3 nanosheets, establishing them as a potent candidate for future photothermal therapy applications.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has broad application prospects for seawater desalination. There is an urgent need in developing new photothermal conversion materials yielding high water evaporation efficiency while featuring simple preparation, low cost and biodegradability. In this study, a porous cellulose based composite for photothermal conversion was manufactured using directional ice templating. The composite, made by one-pot molding, combined the light absorption and water transmission layers. The pore structure of the composite material was shown to be adjustable by controlling the hardwood/nanocellulose fiber ratio, thereby achieving an effective coupling of photothermal conversion efficiency and water evaporation rate. As a result, the material pore structure was significantly improved compared to the pure components, featuring low density/high buoyancy, high and anisotropic water transport rate combined with significant mechanical strength and low heat loss. The material showing the best performance contained 50% of each cellulose component, with the cellulose/carbon black/epoxy resin/polyamide resin weight ratio 3:1:2:1. Its solar energy absorption was up to 90.1% while the thermal conductivity was only 0.051 W m −1 K −1 . The water evaporation rate was 1.26 kg m −2 h −1 , 3.7 times faster than its natural evaporation, and the photothermal conversion efficiency was 81.3%. This study provides a simple yet efficient strategy for development of solar-driven photothermal conversion materials. Graphical abstract