Polypyrrole-modified CuS nanoprisms for efficient near-infrared photothermal therapy

The application of functional nanomaterials in cancer therapy has become a new developing trend due of their unique size-dependent physicochemical performance. In this study, CuS nanoprisms were fabricated via a seed-mediated growth method. The as-prepared CuS nanoprisms possessed a more intense near-infrared absorption at 1184 nm compared with other morphologies. CuS nanoprisms were modified with a polypyrrole (PPy) shell on the surface through oxidative polymerization. The PPy shell efficiently decreased the nanocomposite cytotoxicity and increased the biocompatibility. Based on the excellent photothermal conversion performance of CuS-PPy nanoprisms, the cancer cells in vitro could be killed effectively and the tumor in vivo could be cured through photothermal therapy. This indicated that CuSPPy nanoprisms are able to be used as an efficient theranostic agent for tumor photothermal therapy in the future.