Recent advances in the rational design of copper chalcogenide to enhance the photothermal conversion efficiency for the photothermal ablation of cancer cells

Copper chalcogenide nanoparticles have received increased attention as photothermal agents due to their low cost and easy preparation. Nevertheless, the underdeveloped photothermal conversion efficiency of copper chalcogenide has limited its further application for cancer therapy. Thus, enhancing the photothermal conversion efficiency of copper chalcogenide through rational design is desired. In this review, we have discussed three kinds of rational design and a mechanism for copper chalcogenide to enhance the heat conversion efficiency in detail and briefly introduced their application in photothermal therapy. First is the design and synthesis of the superstructure nanoparticle agents to enhance photon refraction. Then, tuning the degree of copper deficiency enhances the localized surface plasmon resonance absorption caused by copper chalcogenide. The rest is constructing the hybrid composite to further enhance the localized surface plasmon resonance absorption through the coupling effect of different functional units. Despite higher photothermal conversion efficiencies and better therapeutic effects for cancer achieved through rational design, there still exists a challenge to be addressed, as well as promise for rational design facing the keen research and discuss before clinical applications of copper chalcogenide.