Construction of bimetallic phosphide nanostructures with in situ growth, reduction, and phosphidation of ultra-thin graphene layers as highly efficient catalysts towards the OER.

We present a novel approach for the in situ growth of bimetallic silicate onto ultrathin graphene, followed by in situ reduction and phosphorization to obtain uniformly dispersed bimetallic phosphides (rGO@FeNiP/rGO@FeCoP) on graphene layers. Unlike the traditional simple composites of single-metallic phosphides and carbon materials, the bimetallic synergy of rGO@FeNiP/rGO@FeCoP obtained through in situ growth, reduction, phosphorization, and alkaline treatment exhibits a large surface area, more nanopores and defects, and more active sites, facilitates electrolyte diffusion and gas release, accelerates electron transfer and enhances electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Furthermore, the continuous carbon layer architecture surrounding FeNiP/FeCoP provides structural support, improving catalyst stability. We have investigated the effect of different proportions of bimetals on electrocatalytic performance, providing a rational design and synthesis strategy for carbon-based bimetallic phosphides as a promising electrocatalyst for the OER.

Synthesis of Nitrogen and Phosphorus/Sulfur Co-Doped Carbon Xerogels for the Efficient Electrocatalytic Reduction of p-Nitrophenol.

Carbon xerogels co-doped with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) or sulfur (S) were synthesized and employed as catalysts for the electrocatalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (p-NP). The materials were prepared by first synthesizing N-doped carbon xerogels (NDCX) via the pyrolysis of organic gels, and then introducing P or S atoms to the NDCX by a vapor deposition method. The materials were characterized by various measurements including X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier Infrared spectrometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectra, which showed that N atoms were successfully doped to the carbon xerogels, and the co-doping of P or S atoms affected the existing status of N atoms. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning manifested that the N and P co-doped materials, i.e., P-NDCX-1.0, was the most suitable catalyst for the reaction, showing an overpotential of -0.569 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and a peak slop of 695.90 µA/V. The material was also stable in the reaction and only a 14 mV shift in the reduction peak overpotential was observed after running for 100 cycles.

Research Progress on Graphitic Carbon Nitride/Metal Oxide Composites: Synthesis and Photocatalytic Applications.

Although graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been reported for several decades, it is still an active material at the present time owing to its amazing properties exhibited in many applications, including photocatalysis. With the rapid development of characterization techniques, in-depth exploration has been conducted to reveal and utilize the natural properties of g-C3N4 through modifications. Among these, the assembly of g-C3N4 with metal oxides is an effective strategy which can not only improve electron-hole separation efficiency by forming a polymer-inorganic heterojunction, but also compensate for the redox capabilities of g-C3N4 owing to the varied oxidation states of metal ions, enhancing its photocatalytic performance. Herein, we summarized the research progress on the synthesis of g-C3N4 and its coupling with single- or multiple-metal oxides, and its photocatalytic applications in energy production and environmental protection, including the splitting of water to hydrogen, the reduction of CO2 to valuable fuels, the degradation of organic pollutants and the disinfection of bacteria. At the end, challenges and prospects in the synthesis and photocatalytic application of g-C3N4-based composites are proposed and an outlook is given.

AgBiS2-TPP nanocomposite for mitochondrial targeting photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy and bio-imaging under 808 nm NIR laser irradiation.

808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light-induced biological theranostics is gradually becoming a popular method for cancer treatment. Meanwhile, mild synthetic methods to prepare medicines and gentle treatment conditions for cancer patients are becoming increasingly important to oncotherapy. Herein, tiny AgBiS2 nanodots were synthesized via a simple method, and for the first time, discovered to produce a photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect for cancer treatment under 808 nm laser irradiation, which was characterized by both chemical probe and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection. Subsequently, because tumor cells have more mitochondria than normal cells to generate more energy to maintain rapid growth for population expansion, and triphenylphosphonium (TPP) can transport tiny nanoparticles into the mitochondria, the as-synthesized AgBiS2 nanodots were combined with TPP in a facile route. In our design, the AgBiS2 nanodots exhibit photothermal properties and TPP can enhance the photothermal properties of the AgBiS2 nanodots to a certain extent, which make the AgBiS2-TPP nanocomposite applicable in photothermal therapy (PTT). Furthermore, the AgBiS2-TPP nanocomposite showed a remarkable computed tomography (CT) imaging performance for tumor diagnosis. The facile synthetic strategy, satisfactory anticancer effect, CT imaging and mitochondrial targeting of the AgBiS2-TPP nanocomposite demonstrate its high potential in the anticancer field.

Hyaluronic acid-targeted and pH-responsive drug delivery system based on metal-organic frameworks for efficient antitumor therapy.

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have emerged to help delivering the required cargo into the region of the tumor, achieving the objectives of extenuating the potential damage to the body and improving the therapeutic effectiveness. Here, we developed a one-pot process for encapsulating the unstable and hydrophobic d-α-Tocopherol succinate (α-TOS) in zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) compounds (defined as α-TOS@ZIF-8) and subsequently coated with a hyaluronic acid (HA) shell to form the HA/α-TOS@ZIF-8 nanoplatform. Of particular note was when the concentration of α-TOS is l mg/mL, the loading rate was high up to 43.03 wt%. The study verified that HA shell, which could act as a smart "switch" and tumor-targeted "guider", had the capacity for extending blood circulation, enhancing the tumor-specific accumulation of DDS via CD44-mediated pathway. HA shell could be disintegrated by hyaluronidase (HAase) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the wrapped α-TOS@ZIF-8 exposed, thus leading to the decomposition of ZIF-8 in tumor acidic microenvironment to release the loaded α-TOS. Therefore, the HA/α-TOS@ZIF-8 nanoplatform has been achieved as a tumor-specific and on-demand drug delivery system, which improved the treatment efficiency.

O2-Generating Metal-Organic Framework-Based Hydrophobic Photosensitizer Delivery System for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been introduced as a photochemical process for treatment by causing cancer cell death and necrosis, with higher accuracy and few side effects. However, the hydrophobicity of most photosensitizers and hypoxia at the tumor sites are two crucial problems to be solved to achieve a successful PDT. Herein, we designed and constructed a novel metal-organic framework-based drug delivery system (BSA-MnO2/Ce6@ZIF-8) with tumor microenvironment controllability. In our system, the hydrophobic photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) was one-pot incorporated into the matrix of zeolitic imidazolate framework 8 (ZIF-8) to form the Ce6@ZIF-8 compound, which can efficiently keep the Ce6 molecules isolated and avoid them self-aggregate, and the loading rate of Ce6 was high up to 28.3 wt %. The bovine serum albumin (BSA)-MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with catalase-like activity were loaded onto the surface of ZIF-8, having the capacity for self-sufficiency of O2 under the circumstance of H2O2 in acid solution, relieving hypoxia in cancer cells and thereby improving the PDT efficiency greatly when irradiated by low power density (230 mW/cm2) 650 nm light. Moreover, the MnO2 NPs react with H2O2 in acid solution to produce Mn2+, granting the system the qualification of a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, our nanoplatform would further contribute to the treatment of hypoxic tumors in clinical practice.

Honeycomb-Satellite Structured pH/H2O2-Responsive Degradable Nanoplatform for Efficient Photodynamic Therapy and Multimodal Imaging.

The oxygen-deprived environment of a solid tumor is still great restriction in achieving an efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this work, we developed a smart pH-controllable and H2O2-responsive nanoplatform with degradable property, which was based on honeycomb manganese oxide (hMnO2) nanospheres loaded with Ce6-sensitized core-shell-shell structured up-conversion nanoparticles (NaGdF4:Yb/Er,Tm@NaGdF4:Yb@NaNdF4:Yb) (abbreviated as hMUC). In the system, the speedy breakup of the as-prepared hMnO2 nanostructures results in release of loaded Ce6-sensitized UCNPs under the condition of H2O2 in acid solution. When exposed to tissue-penetrable 808 nm laser, up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) emit higher-energy visible photons which would be absorbed by Ce6 to yield cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus triggering PDT treatment naturally. Moreover, the in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that hMUC sample with the honeycomb-satellite structure can serve as multimodal bioimaging contrast agent for self-enhanced upconversion luminescence (UCL), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) imaging, indicating that the as-prepared hMUC could be used in imaging-guided diagnosis and treatment, which has a potential application in the PDT treatment of tumor.

Quad-Model Imaging-Guided High-Efficiency Phototherapy Based on Upconversion Nanoparticles and ZnFe2O4 Integrated Graphene Oxide.

The strategy of diagnosis-to-therapy to realize the integration of imaging and high antitumor efficiency has become the most promising method. Light-induced therapeutic technologies have drawn considerable interest. However, the limited penetration depth of UV/vis excitation and relatively low efficiency are the main obstacles for its further clinic application. For this concern, we presented a facile method to anchor ultrasmall ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles and upconversion luminescence nanoparticles (UCNPs) on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets (GO/ZnFe2O4/UCNPs, abbreviated as GZUC). To solve the penetration question, here we introduced Tm3+-doped UCNPs to convert the high-penetrated near-infrared (NIR) light into UV/vis photons to activate the photodynamic process. In this system, the dual phototherapy from GO and ZnFe2O4 has been realized upon NIR laser irradiation. Combined with the photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on Fenton reaction that ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles react with excessive H2O2 in tumor microenvironment to produce toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH), an excellent anticancer efficiency has been achieved. Furthermore, 4-fold imaging including upconversion luminescence (UCL), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic tomography (PAT) has been obtained due to its intrinsic properties, thereby successfully realizing diagnosis-monitored therapy. Our demonstration provided a feasible strategy to solve the main problems in current light-triggered theranostic.

Bioresponsive and near infrared photon co-enhanced cancer theranostic based on upconversion nanocapsules.

Developing nanotheranostics responsive to tumor microenvironments has attracted tremendous attention for on-demand cancer diagnosis and treatment. Herein, a facile Mn-doping strategy was adopted to transform mesoporous silica coated upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to yolk-like upconversion nanostructures which possess a tumor-responsive biodegradation nature. The huge internal space of the innovated nanocarriers is suitable for doxorubicin (DOX) storage, besides, the Mn-doped shell is sensitive to the intratumoral acidity and reducibility, which enables shell biodegradation and further accelerates the breakage of Si-O-Si bonds within the silica framework. This tumor-responsive shell degradation is beneficial for realizing tumor-specific DOX release. Subsequently, polyoxometalate (POM) nanoclusters that can enhance photothermal conversion in response to the tumor reducibility and acidity were modified on the surface of the silica shell, thereby achieving NIR-enhanced shell degradation and also preventing premature DOX leakage. The as-produced thermal effect of the POM couples with the chemotherapy effect of the released DOX to perform a synergetic chemo-photothermal therapy. Additionally, the shell degradation brings size shrinkage to the nanocarriers, allowing faster nanoparticle diffusion and deeper tumor penetration, which is significant for improving theranostic outcomes. Also, the drastic decline of the red/green (R/G) ratio caused by the DOX release can be used to monitor the DOX release content through a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method. The MRI effect caused by Mn release together with the MRI/CT/UCL imaging derived from Gd3+/Yb3+/Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped UCNPs under 808 nm laser excitation endow the nanosystem with multiple imaging capability, thus realizing imaging-guided cancer therapy.

Glutathione Mediated Size-Tunable UCNPs-Pt(IV)-ZnFe2 O4 Nanocomposite for Multiple Bioimaging Guided Synergetic Therapy.

Here a multifunctional nanoplatform (upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)-platinum(IV) (Pt(IV))-ZnFe2 O4 , denoted as UCPZ) is designed for collaborative cancer treatment, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemotherapy, and Fenton reaction. In the system, the UCNPs triggered by near-infrared light can convert low energy photons to high energy ones, which act as the UV-vis source to simultaneously mediate the PDT effect and Fenton's reaction of ZnFe2 O4 nanoparticles. Meanwhile, the Pt(IV) prodrugs can be reduced to high virulent Pt(II) by glutathione in the cancer cells, which can bond to DNA and inhibit the copy of DNA. The synergistic therapeutic effect is verified in vitro and in vivo results. The cleavage of Pt(IV) from UCNPs during the reduction process can shift the larger UCPZ nanoparticles (NPs) to the smaller ones, which promotes the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) and deep tumor penetration. In addition, due to the inherent upconversion luminescence (UCL) and the doped Yb3+ and Fe3+ in UCPZ, this system can serve as a multimodality bioimaging contrast agent, covering UCL, X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and photoacoustic. A smart all-in-one imaging-guided diagnosis and treatment system is realized, which should have a potential value in the treatment of tumor.

Integration of IR-808 Sensitized Upconversion Nanostructure and MoS2 Nanosheet for 808 nm NIR Light Triggered Phototherapy and Bioimaging.

Near infrared (NIR) light triggered phototherapy including photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) affords superior outcome in cancer treatment. However, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by NIR-excited upconversion nanostructure is limited by the feeble upconverted light which cannot activate PDT agents efficiently. Here, an IR-808 dye sensitized upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) with a chlorin e6 (Ce6)-functionalized silica layer is developed for PDT agent. The two booster effectors (dye-sensitization and core-shell enhancement) synergistically amplify the upconversion efficiency, therefore achieving superbright visible emission under low 808 nm light excitation. The markedly amplified red light subsequently triggers the photosensitizer (Ce6) to produce large amount of ROS for efficient PDT. After the silica is endowed with positive surface, these PDT nanoparticles can be easily grafted on MoS2 nanosheet. As the optimal laser wavelength of UCNPs is consistent with that of MoS2 nanosheet for PTT, the invented nanoplatform generates both abundant ROS and local hyperthermia upon a single 808 nm laser irradiation. Both the in vitro and in vivo assays validate that the innovated nanostructure presents excellent cancer cell inhibition effectiveness by taking advantages of the synergistic PTT and PDT, simultaneously, posing trimodal (upconversion luminescence/computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging capability.

Charge convertibility and near infrared photon co-enhanced cisplatin chemotherapy based on upconversion nanoplatform.

Optimal nano-sized drug carrier requires long blood circulation, selective extravasation, and efficient cell uptake. Here we develop a charge-convertible nanoplatform based on Pt(IV) prodrug loaded NaYF4:Yb,Tm upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs), followed by coating a layer of PEG-PAH-DMMA polymer (UCNs-Pt(IV)@PEG-PAH-DMMA). The polymer endows the platform with high biocompatibility, initial nano-size for prolonged blood circulation and selective extravasation. Especially, the anionic polymer can response to the mild acidic stimulus (pH ∼6.5) of tumor extracellular microenvironment and experience charge-shifting to a cationic polymer, resulting in electrostatic repulsion and releases of positive UCNs-Pt(IV). The positive UCNs-Pt(IV) nanoparticles have high affinity to negative cell membrane, leading to efficacious cell internalization. Simultaneously, the ultraviolet (UV) light emitted from UCNs upon near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, together with the reductive glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells efficiently activate the Pt(IV) prodrug to highly cytotoxic Pt(II), realizing NIR photon improved chemotherapy. The experimental results reveal the charge convertibility, low adverse effect and markedly enhanced tumor ablation efficacy upon NIR laser irradiation of this smart nanoplatform. Moreover, combining the inherent upconversion luminescence (UCL) and computed tomography (CT) imaging capabilities, an alliance of cancer diagnosis and therapy has been achieved.

Highly Emissive Dye-Sensitized Upconversion Nanostructure for Dual-Photosensitizer Photodynamic Therapy and Bioimaging.

Rare-earth-based upconversion nanotechnology has recently shown great promise for photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the NIR-induced PDT is greatly restricted by overheating issues on normal bodies and low yields of reactive oxygen species (ROS, 1O2). Here, IR-808-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Nd,Yb) were combined with mesoporous silica, which has Ce6 (red-light-excited photosensitizer) and MC540 (green-light-excited photosensitizer) loaded inside through covalent bond and electrostatic interaction, respectively. When irradiated by tissue-penetrable 808 nm light, the IR-808 greatly absorb 808 nm photons and then emit a broadband peak which overlaps perfectly with the absorption of Nd3+ and Yb3+. Thereafter, the Nd3+/Yb3+ incorporated shell synergistically captures the emitted NIR photons to illuminate NaGdF4:Yb,Er zone and then radiate ultrabright green and red emissions. The visible emissions simultaneously activate the dual-photosensitizer to produce a large amount of ROS and, importantly, low heating effects. The in vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that the dual-photosensitizer nanostructure has trimodal (UCL/CT/MRI) imaging functions and high anticancer effectiveness, suggesting its potential clinical application as an imaging-guided PDT technique.

Ni(OH)2 nanosheets grown on porous hybrid g-C3N4/RGO network as high performance supercapacitor electrode.

A porous hybrid g-C3N4/RGO (CNRG) material has been fabricated through a facile hydrothermal process with the help of glucose molecules, and serves as an efficient immobilization substrate to support ultrathin Ni(OH)2 nanosheets under an easy precipitation process. It was found that the g-C3N4 flakes can uniformly coat on both sides of the RGO, forming sandwich-type composites with a hierarchical structure. It is worth noting that the introduction of the g-C3N4 can effectively achieve the high dispersion and avoid the agglomeration of the nickel hydroxide, and significantly enhance the synthetically capacitive performance. Owning to this unique combination and structure, the CNRG/Ni(OH)2 composite possesses large surface area with suitable pore size distribution, which can effectively accommodate the electrolyte ions migration and accelerate efficient electron transport. When used as electrode for supercapacitor, the hybrid material exhibits high supercapacitive performance, such as an admirable specific capacitance (1785 F/g at a current density of 2 A/g), desirable rate stability (retain 910 F/g at 20 A/g) and favorable cycling durability (maintaining 71.3% capacity after 5000 cycles at 3 A/g). Such desirable properties signify that the CNRG/Ni(OH)2 composites can be a promising electrode material in the application of the supercapacitor.

Uniformly Dispersed ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Modified Graphene for High-Performance Supercapacitor as Electrode.

A facile strategy has been adopted for the preparation of ZnFe2O4/NRG composite by anchoring ultrasmall ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene (denoted as NRG) for high-performance supercapacitor electrode. Remarkably, the growth of ZnFe2O4 nanocrystals, the reduction of graphitic oxide and the doping of nitrogen to graphene have been simultaneously achieved in one process. It is found that the NRG employed as substrate can not only control the formation of nano-sized ZnFe2O4, but also guarantee the high dispersion without any agglomeration. Benefiting from this novel combination and construction, the hybrid material has large surface area which can provide high exposure of active sites for easy access of electrolyte and fast electron transport. When served as supercapacitor electrode, the ZnFe2O4/NRG composite exhibits a favorable specific capacitance of 244 F/g at 0.5 A/g within the potential range from -1 to 0 V, desirable rate stability (retain 131.5 F/g at 10 A/g) and an admirable cycling durability of 83.8% at a scan rate of 100 mV/s after 5000 cycles. When employed as symmetric supercapacitor, the device demonstrates favorable performance. These satisfactory properties of the ZnFe2O4/NRG composite can make it be of great promise in the supercapacitor application.

Markedly enhanced up-conversion luminescence by combining IR-808 dye sensitization and core-shell-shell structures.

Rare-earth-doped up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which are capable of converting infrared light to shorter-wavelength photons, have attracted worldwide attention due to their unique characteristics. However, the emission brightness of UCNPs is greatly limited by the unsatisfactory absorptivity of lanthanide ions. Herein, we adopted a novel strategy to enhance the up-conversion intensity using NIR dye IR-808 as an antenna to sensitize the core-shell-shell structured NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4:Yb@NaNdF4:Yb UCNPs. When excited with 808 nm light, the IR-808 emitted a broadband peak, which perfectly overlapped with the absorption of Nd3+ and Yb3+ ions. Thus, the active shell of NaNdF4:Yb can efficiently capture the emitted NIR photons and transfer them to the transition layer of NaGdF4:Yb. The transition layer acted as an energy bridge to connect the active shell and up-converting zone, avoiding the energy back-transfer from the activators to Nd3+ ions. The optimized dye sensitization combined with the well-designed core-shell-shell structure tremendously enhances the NIR photon absorptivity of UCNPs and eliminates the deleterious cross-relaxation between the activators and sensitizers, eventually leading to dramatic enhancement of the up-conversion intensity. This study provides a new insight into the dye-sensitized up-conversion luminescence of rare earth-based nanoparticles and facilitates their practical applications.

808 nm near-infrared light controlled dual-drug release and cancer therapy in vivo by upconversion mesoporous silica nanostructures.

The design of stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems has attracted much attention to improve therapeutic efficacy for clinical applications. Here an 808 nm NIR light responsive dual-drug system was designed for cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo. Mesoporous silica coated NaYF4:Yb0.4/Tm0.02@NaGdF4:Yb0.1@NaNdF4:Yb0.1 (UCNPs) with a core-shell structure (labeled as UCNPs@mSiO2) was prepared and loaded with the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX). The surface of the composite was functionalized with ß-cyclodextrin rings bridged by the light cleavable platinum(iv) pro-drug, thus blocking DOX inside the mesopores of silica. When excited by 808 nm NIR light, the emitted UV light from the UCNPs was used to activate the platinum(iv) pro-drug to gain higher toxicity platinum(ii) complexes and open the mesopores of silica (at the same time) to release DOX molecules. Both DOX and platinum(ii) complexes can kill cancer cells. This dual-drug delivery system may represent a new avenue for the application of UCNPs in photoactivated cancer therapy.

Doxorubicin-conjugated CuS nanoparticles for efficient synergistic therapy triggered by near-infrared light.

To integrate photothermal therapy (PTT) with chemotherapy for improving anticancer efficiency, we developed a novel and multifunctional doxorubicin (DOX) conjugated copper sulfide nanoparticle (CuS-DOX NP) drug delivery system using hydrazone bonds to conjugate carboxyl-functionalized copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) and DOX. On the other hand, the hydrazone bonds could be used for improving the DOX release rate (88.0%) by cleavage in a mildly acidic environment irradiated by 808 nm laser light, which could greatly promote chemo-therapeutic efficacy. Simultaneously, CuS NPs which can absorb near infrared (NIR) light produce a clear thermal effect, giving rise to a synergistic therapeutic effect combined with enhanced chemo-therapy. The DOX-conjugated CuS NPs display an evident in vitro cytotoxicity to HeLa cancer cells under 808 nm light irradiation. High tumor inhibition efficacy has been achieved after 14 day in vivo treatment, performed with intravenous administration of CuS-DOX NPs with 808 nm laser irradiation on H22 tumor-bearing mice. The multifunctional system which was achieved by a facile route should be a potential candidate in the anti-cancer field due to the synergistic therapeutic effect, which is superior to any single approach.

CuS-Pt(iv)-PEG-FA nanoparticles for targeted photothermal and chemotherapy.

Platinum (Pt)(iv) pro-drugs, which can be reduced to highly cytotoxic Pt(ii) by high concentrations of glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells, offer a new approach to defense against tumors. A carrier with controlled release and targeted functions is essential to determine its final anticancer efficiency. In this study, we report a targeted drug delivery system by fabricating CuS-Pt(iv)-PEG-FA nanoparticles (CuS-Pt(iv) NPs) that integrates Pt drug-induced chemotherapy and CuS nanoparticles-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) under near infrared (NIR) light irradiation. The attached PEG and folic acid (FA) molecules endow the system with high biocompatibility and targeted property. The release of Pt was up to 84.4% in the presence of GSH in the tumor cells due to the reduction property of GSH. Combined with the photothermal effect with high photothermal conversion efficiency (32.1%) upon NIR light irradiation, a remarkable tumor inhabitation efficacy was been achieved. The in vitro assay manifested that CuS-Pt(iv) NPs can kill more cancer cells than that of DSP and cisplatin; the in vivo results indicate that the group treated with intravenous injection of CuS-Pt(iv) NPs exhibits excellent antitumor effects upon NIR light irradiation.