Indocyanine green (ICG) is an important kind of near infrared (NIR) photosensitive molecules for PTT/PDT therapy as well as imaging. When exposed to NIR light, ICG can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can kill cancer cells and pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, the absorbed light can also be converted into heat by ICG molecules to eliminate cancer cells. In addition, it performs exceptionally well in optical imaging-guided tumor therapy and antimicrobial therapy due to its deeper tissue penetration and low photobleaching properties in the near-infrared region compared to other dyes. In order to solve the problems of water and optical stability and multi-function problem of ICG molecules, composite nanomaterials based on ICG have been designed and widely used, especially in the fields of tumors and sterilization. So far, ICG molecules and their composite materials have become one of the most famous infrared sensitive materials. However, there have been no corresponding review articles focused on ICG molecules. In this review, the molecular structure and properties of ICG, composite material design, and near-infrared light- triggered anti-tumor, and antibacterial, and clinical applications are reviewed in detail, which of great significance for related research.

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a natural polymer composed of glutamic acid monomer and it has garnered substantial attention in both the fields of material science and biomedicine. Its remarkable cell compatibility, degradability, and other advantageous characteristics have made it a vital component in the medical field. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the production methods, primary application forms, and medical applications of γ-PGA, drawing from numerous prior studies. Among the four production methods for PGA, microbial fermentation currently stands as the most widely employed. This method has seen various optimization strategies, which we summarize here. From drug delivery systems to tissue engineering and wound healing, γ-PGA’s versatility and unique properties have facilitated its successful integration into diverse medical applications, underlining its potential to enhance healthcare outcomes. The objective of this review is to establish a foundational knowledge base for further research in this field.

Light-matter interaction has become one of the promising routes to manipulating various physical features of quantum materials in an ultrafast kinetics. In this Letter, we focus on the nonlinear optical effects of the spintronic behavior in antiferromagnetic (AFM) and altermagnetic (AM) systems with compensated magnetic moments, which has been extensively attractive for their potential applications. With vanishing net magnetic moments, one of the main concerns is how to distinguish and disentangle AFMs and AMs in experiments, as they usually behave similarly in many susceptibility measurements. To address this challenge, we propose that linearly polarized light could trigger contrasting nonequilibrium local spin torques in these systems, unraveling hidden light-induced spintronic behaviors. In general, one could achieve light-induced spin canting in AMs, but only Néel vector torques in AFMs. We scrutinize and enumerate their symmetry constraints of all 122 magnetic point groups. We also adopt low energy Hamiltonian models and first-principles calculations on two representative materials to illustrate our theory. Our work provides a new perspective for the design and optimization of spintronic devices.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with coexistence of ferromagnetism (FM) and ferroelectricity (FE) are rare. By using first-principles modeling, here we report that doping of magnetic transition metal (TM) atoms in FE monolayer ${\mathrm{In}}_2{\mathrm{Se}}_3$ could introduce giant local FM magnetic moments ($4{\mu }_{\mathrm{B}}$ per Mn atom). The exchange splitting energy, and the $C_{3\nu }$ crystal field together with the hybridization of the $\mathrm{Mn}\text{−}d$ and $\mathrm{Se}\text{−}p$ orbitals result in spin-polarized states near the Fermi surface. More interestingly, the asymmetric charge distribution of the Jahn-Teller ion ($\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{n}}^{3+}{d}^4$) further lift the twofold degeneracy of the Mn-d e$1^{*}$ states. This affects the band structure and enhances the FE polarization in monolayer ${\mathrm{In}}_2{\mathrm{Se}}_3$. Our work paves the way for tailoring FM in 2D FE via doping magnetic moments from TM atoms. The half-metallicity combined with the enhanced FE polarization make Mn-doped ${\mathrm{In}}_2{\mathrm{Se}}_3$ a candidate for potential applications in information technology and spintronic devices.

Group VB transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) show a metallic nature and are potential catalysts applied in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Ternary structures and element doping are the dominant methods to improve HER performance. Herein, chemical vapor transport (CVT)-grown NbSSe was post-doped with cobalt atoms by the hydrothermal method for the first time to produce metallic 2D electrocatalysts used for the HER. The post-doped cobalt in NbSSe not only enhanced the HER performance, but also improved the hydrogen evolution stability. Due to the conductive phase of NbSSe and abundant active sites created by ternary structures and Co-doping, the 10% Co-doped NbSSe exhibits a low overpotential of 173 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², a Tafel slope of 64 mV dec⁻¹, and good durability, which are comparable to or better than those of most previously reported ternary TMD systems. Compared with pristine NbSSe, the Co-doped NbSSe shows a 220 mV decrease in overpotential at 10 mA cm⁻². Both theoretical calculations and experimental data indicate that more defects created by the Co-doping and ternary structure resulted in a lower H* adsorption energy, giving a better HER performance. This work presents a new, efficient catalyst for the HER and the cation post doping could be extended to other ternary TMD electrocatalysts to improve the catalytic performance.