Elimination of methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on titanium implants via photothermally‑triggered nitric oxide and immunotherapy for enhanced osseointegration

Background:Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)biofilm infections in implant placement surgery is limited by the lack of antimicrobial activity of titanium(Ti)implants.There is a need to explore more effective approaches for the treatment of MRSA biofilm infections.Methods:Herein,an interfacial functionalization strategy is proposed by the integration of mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles(PDA),nitric oxide(NO)release donor sodium nitroprusside(SNP)and osteogenic growth peptide(OGP)onto Ti implants,denoted as Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP.The physical and chemical properties of Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP were assessed by scanning electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscope,water contact angle,photothermal property and NO release behavior.The synergistic antibacterial effect and elimination of the MRSA biofilms were evaluated by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate probe,1-N-phenylnaphthylamine assay,adenosine triphosphate intensity,O-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside hydrolysis activity,bicinchoninic acid leakage.Fluorescence staining,assays for alkaline phosphatase activity,collagen secretion and extracellular matrix mineralization,quantitative real‑time reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)were used to evaluate the inflammatory response and osteogenic ability in bone marrow stromal cells(MSCs),RAW264.7 cells and their co-culture system.Giemsa staining,ELISA,micro-CT,hematoxylin and eosin,Masson's trichrome and immunohistochemistry staining were used to evaluate the eradication of MRSA biofilms,inhibition of inflammatory response,and promotion of osseointegration of Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP in vivo.Results:Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP displayed a synergistic photothermal and NO-dependent antibacterial effect against MRSA following near-infrared light(NIR)irradiation,and effectively eliminated the formed MRSA biofilms by inducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)-mediated oxidative stress,destroying bacterial membrane integrity and causing leakage of intracellular components(P<0.01).In vitro experiments revealed that Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP not only facilitated osteogenic differentiation of MSCs,but also promoted the polarization of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages to the anti-inflammatory M2-phenotype(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The favorable osteo-immune microenvironment further facilitated osteogenesis of MSCs and the anti-inflammation of RAW264.7 cells via multiple paracrine signaling pathways(P<0.01).In vivo evaluation confirmed the aforementioned results and revealed that Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP induced ameliorative osseointegration in an MRSA-infected femoral defect implantation model(P<0.01).Conclusions:Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP is a promising multi-functional material for the high-efficient treatment of MRSA infections in implant replacement surgeries.

A Stable Open-Shell Conjugated Diradical Polymer with Ultra-High Photothermal Conversion Efficiency for NIR-Ⅱ Photo-Immunotherapy of Metastatic Tumor

Massive efforts have been concentrated on the advance of eminent near-infrared(NIR) photothermal materials(PTMs) in the NIR-Ⅱ window(1000–1700 nm), especially organic PTMs because of their intrinsic biological safety compared with inorganic PTMs. However, so far, only a few NIR-Ⅱresponsive organic PTMs was explored, and their photothermal conversion efficiencies(PCEs) still remain relatively low. Herein, donor–acceptor conjugated diradical polymers with open-shell characteristics are explored for synergistically photothermal immunotherapy of metastatic tumors in the NIR-Ⅱ window. By employing side-chain regulation, the conjugated diradical polymer TTB-2 with obvious NIR-Ⅱ absorption was developed, and its nanoparticles realize a record-breaking PCE of 87.7% upon NIR-Ⅱ light illustration. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that TTB-2 nanoparticles show good tumor photoablation with navigation of photoacoustic imaging in the NIR-Ⅱ window, without any side-effect. Moreover, by combining with PD-1 antibody,the pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer is high-effectively prevented by the efficient photo-immunity effect. Thus, this study explores superior PTMs for cancer metastasis theranostics in the NIR-Ⅱ window, offering a new horizon in developing radical-characteristic NIR-Ⅱ photothermal materials.

Hollow Metal-Organic Framework/MXene/Nanocellulose Composite Films for Giga/Terahertz Electromagnetic Shielding and Photothermal Conversion

With the continuous advancement of communication technology,the escalating demand for electromagnetic shielding interference(EMI)materials with multifunctional and wideband EMI performance has become urgent.Controlling the electrical and magnetic components and designing the EMI material structure have attracted extensive interest,but remain a huge challenge.Herein,we reported the alternating electromagnetic structure composite films composed of hollow metal-organic frameworks/layered MXene/nanocellulose(HMN)by alternating vacuum-assisted filtration process.The HMN composite films exhibit excellent EMI shielding effectiveness performance in the GHz frequency(66.8 dB at Kaband)and THz frequency(114.6 dB at 0.1-4.0 THz).Besides,the HMN composite films also exhibit a high reflection loss of 39.7 dB at 0.7 THz with an effective absorption bandwidth up to 2.1 THz.Moreover,HMN composite films show remarkable photothermal conversion performance,which can reach 104.6℃under 2.0 Sun and 235.4℃under 0.8 W cm^(−2),respectively.The unique micro-and macrostructural design structures will absorb more incident electromagnetic waves via interfacial polarization/multiple scattering and produce more heat energy via the local surface plasmon resonance effect.These features make the HMN composite film a promising candidate for advanced EMI devices for future 6G communication and the protection of electronic equipment in cold environments.

Photothermal catalytic C-C coupling to ethylene from CO_(2) with high efficiency by synergistic cooperation of oxygen vacancy and half-metallic WTe_(2)

Photothermal catalytic CO_(2) conversion provides an effective solution targeting carbon neutrality by synergistic utilization of photon and heat.However,the C-C coupling initiated by photothermal catalysis is still a big challenge.Herein,a three-dimensional(3D)hierarchical W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) hollow nanosphere is constructed through in-situ embodying of oxygen vacancy and tellurium on the scaffold of WO_(3).The light absorption towards near-infrared spectral region and CO_(2) adsorption are enhanced by the formation of half-metal WTe_(2) and the unique hierarchical hollow architecture.Combining with the generation of oxygen vacancy with strengthened CO_(2) capture,the photothermal effect on the samples can be sufficiently exploited for activating the CO_(2) molecules.In particular,the close contact between W_(18)O_(49)and WTe_(2) largely promotes the photoinduced charge separation and mass transfer,and thus the~*CHO intermediate formation and fixedness are facilitated.As a result,the C-C coupling can be evoked between tungsten and tellurium atoms on WTe_(2).The ethylene production by optimized W_(18)O_(49)/WTe_(2) reaches 147.6μmol g^(-1)with the selectivity of 80%.The in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy(DRIFTS)and density functional theory(DFT)calculations are performed to unveil the presence and significance of aldehyde intermediate groups in C-C coupling.The half-metallic WTe_(2) cocatalyst proposes a new approach for efficient CO_(2) conversion with solar energy,and may especially create a new platform for the generation of multi-carbon products.

Construction of a Cu@hollow TS-1 nanoreactor based on a hierarchical full-spectrum solar light utilization strategy for photothermal synergistic artificial photosynthesis

The artificial photosynthesis technology has been recognized as a promising solution for CO_(2) utilization.Photothermal catalysis has been proposed as a novel strategy to promote the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis by coupling both photochemistry and thermochemistry.However,strategies for maximizing the use of solar spectra with different frequencies in photothermal catalysis are urgently needed.Here,a hierarchical full-spectrum solar light utilization strategy is proposed.Based on this strategy,a Cu@hollow titanium silicalite-1 zeolite(TS-1)nanoreactor with spatially separated photo/thermal catalytic sites is designed to realize high-efficiency photothermal catalytic artificial photosynthesis.The space-time yield of alcohol products over the optimal catalyst reached 64.4μmol g−1 h−1,with the selectivity of CH3CH2OH of 69.5%.This rationally designed hierarchical utilization strategy for solar light can be summarized as follows:(1)high-energy ultraviolet light is utilized to drive the initial and difficult CO_(2) activation step on the TS-1 shell;(2)visible light can induce the localized surface plasmon resonance effect on plasmonic Cu to generate hot electrons for H2O dissociation and subsequent reaction steps;and(3)low-energy near-infrared light is converted into heat by the simulated greenhouse effect by cavities to accelerate the carrier dynamics.This work provides some scientific and experimental bases for research on novel,highly efficient photothermal catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.

Temperature-feedback two-photon-responsive metal-organic frameworks for efficient photothermal therapy

The realization of real-time thermal feedback for monitoring photothermal therapy(PTT)under near-infrared(NIR)light irradiation is of great interest and challenge for antitumor therapy.Herein,by assembling highly efficient photothermal conversion gold nanorods and a temperature-responsive probe((E)-4-(4-(diethylamino)styryl)-1-methylpyridin-1-ium,PyS)within MOF-199,an intelligent nanoplatform(AMPP)was fabricated for simultaneous chemodynamic therapy and NIR light-induced temperature-feedback PTT.The fluorescence intensity and temperature of the PyS probe are linearly related due to the restriction of the rotation of the characteristic monomethine bridge.Moreover,the copper ions resulting from the degradation of MOF-199 in an acidic microenvironment can convert H_(2)O_(2)into•OH,resulting in tumor ablation through a Fenton-like reaction,and this process can be accelerated by increasing the temperature.This study establishes a feasible platform for fabricating highly sensitive temperature sensors for efficient temperature-feedback PTT.

Isoindigo nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging-guided tumor photothermal therapy

The key factor in photothermal therapy lies in the selection of photothermal agents.Traditional photothermal agents generally have problems such as poor photothermal stability and low photothermal conversion efficiency.Herein,we have designed and synthesized an isoindigo(IID)dye.We used isoindigo as the molecular center and introduced common triphenylamine and methoxy groups as rotors.In order to improve the photothermal stability and tumor targeting ability,we encapsulated IID into nanoparticles.As a result,the nanoparticles exhibited high photothermal stability and photothermal conversion efficiency(67%)upon 635 nm laser irradiation.Thus,the nanoparticles demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on live tumors in photothermal therapy guided by photoacoustic imaging and provided a viable strategy to overcome the treatment challenges.

Rational construction of CuFe_(2)O_(4)@C/Cd_(0.9)Zn_(0.1)S S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst for extraordinary photothermal-assisted photocatalytic H_(2) evolution

Rational design of photocatalyst to maximize the use of sunlight is one of the issues to be solved in photocatalysis technology.In this study,the CuFe_(2)O_(4)@C/Cd_(0.9)Zn_(0.1)S(CFO@C/CZS)S-scheme photocatalyst with photothermal effect was synthesized by ultrasonic self-assembly combined with calcination.The dark CFO@C absorbed visible light and partly converted into heat to promote the hydrogen evolution reaction.The presence of heterojunctions inhibited the photogenerated electron-hole recombination.The graphite-carbon layer provided a stable channel for electron transfer,and the presence of magnetic CFO made recycle easier.Under the action of photothermal assistance and heterojunction,the hydrogen evolution rate of the optimal CFO@C/CZS was 80.79 mmol g^(-1) h^(-1),which was 2.55 times and 260.61 times of that of pure CZS and CFO@C,respectively.Notably,the composite samples also exhibit excellent stability and a wide range of environmental adaptability.Through experimental tests and first-principles simulation calculation methods,the plausible mechanism of photoactivity enhancement was proposed.This work provided a feasible strategy of photothermal assistance for the development of heterojunction photocatalysts with distinctive hydrogen evolution.

NIR-triggered on-site NO/ROS/RNS nanoreactor:Cascade-amplified photodynamic/photothermal therapy with local and systemic immune responses activation

Photothermal and photodynamic therapies(PTT/PDT)hold promise for localized tumor treatment,yet their full potential is hampered by limitations such as the hypoxic tumor microenvironment and inadequate systemic immune activation.Addressing these challenges,we present a novel near-infrared(NIR)-triggered RNS nanoreactor(PBNO-Ce6)to amplify the photodynamic and photothermal therapy efficacy against triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC).The designed PBNOCe6 combines sodium nitroprusside-doped Prussian Blue nanoparticles with Chlorin e6 to enable on-site RNS production through NIR-induced concurrent NO release and ROS generation.This not only enhances tumor cell eradication but also potentiates local and systemic antitumor immune responses,protecting mice from tumor rechallenge.Our in vivo evaluations revealed that treatment with PBNO-Ce6 leads to a remarkable 2.7-fold increase in cytotoxic T lymphocytes and a 62%decrease in regulatory T cells in comparison to the control PB-Ce6(Prussian Blue nanoparticles loaded with Chlorin e6),marking a substantial improvement over traditional PTT/PDT.As such,the PBNO-Ce6 nanoreactor represents a transformative approach for improving outcomes in TNBC and potentially other malignancies affected by similar barriers.

CA IX-targeted Ag_(2)S quantum dots bioprobe for NIR-II imaging-guided hypoxia tumor chemo-photothermal therapy

Hypoxia is the common characteristic of almost all solid tumors,which prevents therapeutic drugs from reaching the tumors.Therefore,the development of new targeted agents for the accurate diagnosis of hypoxia tumors is widely concerned.As carbonic anhydrase IX(CA IX)is abundantly distributed on the hypoxia tumor cells,it is considered as a potential tumor biomarker.4-(2-Aminoethyl)benzenesulfonamide(ABS)as a CA IX inhibitor has inherent inhibitory activity and good targeting effect.In this study,Ag_(2)S quantum dots(QDs)were used as the carrier to prepare a novel diagnostic and therapeutic bioprobe(Ag_(2)S@polyethylene glycol(PEG)-ABS)through ligand exchange and amide condensation reaction.Ag_(2)S@PEG-ABS can selectively target tumors by surface-modified ABS and achieve accurate tumor imaging by the near infrared-II(NIR-II)fluorescence characteristics of Ag_(2)S QDs.PEG modification of Ag_(2)S QDs greatly improves its water solubility and stability,and therefore achieves high photothermal stability and high photothermal conversion efficiency(PCE)of 45.17%.Under laser irradiation,Ag_(2)S@PEG-ABS has powerful photothermal and inherent antitumor combinations on colon cancer cells(CT-26)in vitro.It also has been proved that Ag_(2)S@PEG-ABS can realize the effective treatment of hypoxia tumors in vivo and show good biocompatibility.Therefore,it is a new efficient integrated platform for the diagnosis and treatment of hypoxia tumors.

Preparation,Characterization and Photothermal Study of PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) Composite Films

In this work,flexible photothermal PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films with different amount(0 wt%,5 wt%,10 wt%,15 wt%)of Ti_(2)O_(3) particles modified by steric acid were prepared by a simple solution casting method.The microstructures,XRD patterns,FTIR spectra,UV-Vis-NIR spectra thermo-conductivity,thermo-stability and photothermal effects of these composite films were all characterized.These results indicated that Ti_(2)O_(3) particles were well dispersed throughout the polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)matrix in the PVA/Ti_(2)O_(3) composite films.And Ti_(2)O_(3) particles could also effectively improve the photothermal properties of the composite films which exhibited high light absorption and generated a high temperature(about 57.4℃for film with 15 wt%Ti_(2)O_(3) amount)on the surface when it was irradiated by a simulated sunlight source(1 kW/m^(2)).

Scattered Co-anchored MoS_(2)synergistically boosting photothermal capture and storage of phase change materials

Pristine phase change materials(PCMs)suffer from inherent deficiencies of poor solar absorption and photothermal conversion.Herein,we proposed a strategy of co-incorporation of zero-dimensional(OD)metal nanoparticles and two-dimensional(2D)photothermal materials in PCMs for efficient capture and conversion of solar energy into thermal energy.Highly scattered Co-anchored MoS_(2)nanoflower cluster serving as photon and phonon triggers was prepared by in-situ hydrothermal growth of ZIF67 polyhedron on 2D MoS_(2)and subsequent high-temperature carbonization.After encapsulating thermal storage unit(paraffin wax),the obtained composite PCMs integrated high-performance photothermal conversion and thermal energy storage capability.Benefiting from the synergistic enhancement of OD Co nanoparticles with localized surface plasmon resonance effect,carbon layer with the conjugation effect and 2D MoS_(2)with strong solar absorption,composite PCMs exhibited a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 95.19%,Additionally,the resulting composite PCMs also demonstrated long-term thermal sto rage stability and durable structu ral stability after 300 thermal cycles.The proposed collabo rative co-incorporation strategy provides some innovative references for developing next-generation photothermal PCMs in solar energy utilization.

Carbon materials for enhanced photothermal conversion:Preparation and applications on steam generation

Photothermal conversion attracted lots of attention in the past years and sorts of materials were explored to enhance photothermal efficiency.In the past years,solar-driven desalination by photothermal conversion was proposed to release the shortage of fresh water and then it was considered much more important to prepare photothermal materials on large scales with high performance and low cost.In this review,we summarized the works on carbon-based photothermal materials in the past years,including the preparation as well as their application in steam generation.From these works,we give an outlook on the difficulties and chances of how to design and prepare carbon-based photothermal materials.

Recent advancement and future challenges of photothermal catalysis for VOCs elimination:From catalyst design to applications

Photothermal catalysis realizes the synergistic effect of solar energy and thermochemistry,which also has the potential to improve the reaction rate and optimize the selectivity.In this review,the research progress of photothermal catalytic removal of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)by nano-catalysts in recent years is systematically reviewed.First,the fundamentals of photothermal catalysis and the fabrication of catalysts are described,and the design strategy of optimizing photothermal catalysis performance is proposed.Second,the performance for VOC degradation with photothermal catalysis is evaluated and compared for the batch and continuous systems.Particularly,the catalytic mechanism of VOC oxidation is systematically introduced based on experimental and theoretical study.Finally,the future limitations and challenges have been discussed,and potential research directions and priorities are highlighted.A broad view of recent photothermal catalyst fabrication,applications,challenges,and prospects can be systemically provided by this review.

Recentadvancesincarbon‐basedmaterials for solar‐driven interfacial photothermal conversion water evaporation:Assemblies,structures,applications,and prospective

The shortage of fresh water in the world has brought upon a serious crisis to human health and economic development.Solar‐driven interfacial photothermal conversion water evaporation including evaporating seawater,lake water,or river water has been recognized as an environmentally friendly process for obtaining clean water in a low‐cost way.However,water transport is restricted by itself by solar energy absorption capacity's limits,especially for finite evaporation rates and insufficient working life.Therefore,it is important to seek photothermal conversion materials that can efficiently absorb solar energy and reasonably design solar‐driven interfacial photothermal conversion water evaporation devices.This paper reviews the research progress of carbon‐based photothermal conversion materials and the mechanism for solar‐driven interfacial photothermal conversion water evaporation,as well as the summary of the design and development of the devices.Based on the research progress and achievements of photothermal conversion materials and devices in the fields of seawater desalination and photothermal electric energy generation in recent years,the challenges and opportunities faced by carbon‐based photothermal conversion materials and devices are discussed.The prospect of the practical application of solar‐driven interfacial photothermal conversion evaporation technology is foreseen,and theoretical guidance is provided for the further development of this technology.

Swarming Responsive Photonic Nanorobots for Motile-Targeting Microenvironmental Mapping and Mapping-Guided Photothermal Treatment

Micro/nanorobots can propel and navigate in many hard-to-reach biological environments,and thus may bring revolutionary changes to biomedical research and applications.However,current MNRs lack the capability to collectively perceive and report physicochemical changes in unknown microenvironments.Here we propose to develop swarming responsive photonic nanorobots that can map local physicochemical conditions on the fly and further guide localized photothermal treatment.The RPNRs consist of a photonic nanochain of periodically-assembled magnetic Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles encapsulated in a responsive hydrogel shell,and show multiple integrated functions,including energetic magnetically-driven swarming motions,bright stimuli-responsive structural colors,and photothermal conversion.Thus,they can actively navigate in complex environments utilizing their controllable swarming motions,then visualize unknown targets(e.g.,tumor lesion)by collectively mapping out local abnormal physicochemical conditions(e.g.,pH,temperature,or glucose concentra-tion)via their responsive structural colors,and further guide external light irradiation to initiate localized photothermal treatment.This work facilitates the development of intelligent motile nanosensors and versatile multifunctional nanotheranostics for cancer and inflam-matory diseases.

3D flower-like mesoporous Bi_(4)O_(5)I_(2)/MoS_(2)Z-scheme heterojunction with optimized photothermal-photocatalytic performance

3D flower-like hierarchical mesoporous Bi_(4)O_(5)I_(2)/MoS_(2)Z-scheme layered heterojunction photocatalyst was fabricated by oil bath and hydrothermal methods.The heterojunction with narrow band gap of~1.95 eV extended the photoresponse to near-infrared region,which showed obvious photothermal effect due to the introduction of MoS_(2) with broad spectrum response.MoS_(2) nanosheets were anchored onto the surface of flower-like hierarchical mesoporous Bi_(4)O_(5)I_(2) nanosheets,thereby forming efficient layered heterojunctions,the solar-driven photocatalytic efficiency in degradation of highly toxic dichlorophenol and reduction of hexavalent chromium was improved to 98.5%and 99.2%,which was~4 and 7 times higher than that of the pristine Bi_(4)O_(5)I_(2),respectively.In addition,the photocatalytic hydrogen production rate reached 496.78 μmol h^(-1)g^(-1),which was~6 times higher than that of the pristine Bi_(4)O_(5)I_(2).The excellent photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the promoted photothermal effect,as well as,the formation of compact Z-scheme layered heterojunctions.The 3D flower-like hierarchical mesoporous structure provided adequate surface active-sites,which was conducive to the mass transfer.Moreover,the high stability of the prepared photocatalyst further promoted its potential practical application.This strategy also provides new insights for fabricating layered Zscheme heterojunctions photocatalysts with highly photothermal-photocatalytic efficiency.

Novel models for simulating maize growth based on thermal time and photothermal units: Applications under various mulching practices

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the three major food crops and an important source of carbohydrates for maintaining food security around the world.Plant height (H),stem diameter (SD),leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter (DM) are important growth parameters that influence maize production.However,the combined effect of temperature and light on maize growth is rarely considered in crop growth models.Ten maize growth models based on the modified logistic growth equation (Mlog) and the Mitscherlich growth equation (Mit) were proposed to simulate the H,SD,LAI and DM of maize under different mulching practices based on experimental data from 2015–2018.Either the accumulative growing degree-days (AGDD),helio thermal units (HTU),photothermal units (PTU) or photoperiod thermal units (PPTU,first proposed here) was used as a single driving factor in the models;or AGDD was combined with either accumulative actual solar hours (ASS),accumulative photoperiod response (APR,first proposed here) or accumulative maximum possible sunshine hours (ADL) as the dual driving factors in the models.The model performances were evaluated using seven statistical indicators and a global performance index.The results showed that the three mulching practices significantly increased the maize growth rates and the maximum values of the growth curves compared with non-mulching.Among the four single factor-driven models,the overall performance of the Mlog_(PTU)Model was the best,followed by the Mlog_(AGDD)Model.The Mlog_(PPTU)Model was better than the Mlog_(AGDD)Model in simulating SD and LAI.Among the 10 models,the overall performance of the Mlog_(AGDD–APR)Model was the best,followed by the Mlog_(AGDD–ASS)Model.Specifically,the Mlog_(AGDD–APR)Model performed the best in simulating H and LAI,while the Mlog_(AGDD–ADL)and Mlog_(AGDD–ASS)models performed the best in simulating SD and DM,respectively.In conclusion,the modified logistic growth equations with AGDD and either APR,ASS or ADL as the dual driving factors outperformed the commonly used modified logistic growth model with AGDD as a single driving factor in simulating maize growth.

Designing high-efficiency light-to-thermal conversion materials for solar desalination and photothermal catalysis

Light-to-thermal conversion materials(LTCMs)have been of great interest to researchers due to their impressive energy conversion capacity and wide range of applications in biomedical,desalination,and synergistic catalysis.Given the limited advances in existing materials(metals,semiconductors,π-conjugates),researchers generally adopt the method of constructing complex systems and hybrid structures to optimize performance and achieve multifunctional integration.However,the development of LTCMs is still in its infancy as the physical mechanism of light-to-thermal conversion is unclear.In this review,we proposed design strategies for efficient LTCMs by analyzing the physical process of light-tothermal conversion.First,we analyze the nature of light absorption and heat generation to reveal the physical processes of light-to-thermal conversion.Then,we explain the light-to-thermal conversion mechanisms of metallic,semiconducting andπ-conjugated LCTMs,and propose new material design strategies and performance improvement methods.Finally,we summarize the challenges and prospects of LTCMs in emerging applications such as solar water evaporation and photothermal catalysis.

Advances in photothermal conversion of carbon dioxide to solar fuels

Converting carbon dioxide(CO_(2)) into useful fuels or chemical feedstocks is important for achieving peak carbon emission and carbon neutrality.Recently,photothermal catalysis has been extensively studied and applied due to its advantages over traditional heat-driven catalysis.In this review,we focus on photothermal catalysis of thermodynamically uphill reactions that convert CO_(2)into value-added products.We first introduce the fundamentals of photothermal catalysis for CO_(2)reduction,including the definition and classification of photothermal catalysis,followed by their photothermal conversion processes.The structure design of different types of photothermal catalysts is summarized.The superior performance of photothermal catalytic conversion of CO_(2)is illustrated and discussed,including improved CO_(2)activation,tunable selectivity towards different solar fuel products,and resistance to sintering and coking.Finally,the perspectives and challenges in this cutting-edge field are presented with the aim of advancing understanding of the underlying mechanisms and inspiring rational design of photothermal catalysts for highly efficient solar-to-fuel conversion.