Preface

Nanomaterials have been researched extensively in academia because of their unique properties depending on their size, shape, and composition. They have also been optimized and used for a lot of applications. As a result, a huge amount of literature in this area has been published in many academic journals, patents, and application-specific references. However, very few of these discuss photothermal nanomaterials in detail, despite the fact that many nanomaterials exhibited photothermal properties and their applications have been extensively researched in recent years. Light–matter interaction has been of great interest for centuries, among which light-to-heat conversion has drawn much attention in previous years. The exploration of photothermal nanomaterials with high light-to-heat conversion efficiency paved the way for practical applications. In this book, the photothermal effect of different categories of light-absorbing nanomaterials is reviewed and discussed, focusing on metallic nanomaterials, 2D materials, semiconductors, carbon-based nanomaterials, polymeric nanomaterials, and their composites. Recent advancement in their preparation and photothermal applications are introduced and summarized in detail. This book provides a systematic summary of the recent advances in the fabrication and application of photothermal nanomaterials, together with the advantages, challenges and potential opportunities. Thus, we believe the publication of this book will greatly facilitate the reader in gaining a comprehensive and systematic overview of the latest developments in photothermal nanomaterials and their applications.

We gratefully acknowledge all the authors and the Royal Society of Chemistry editorial office for helping to complete this book. We would like to extend gratitude to our colleagues who helped in reviewing this book. We also acknowledge the financial support provided by the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) under the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

Enyi Ye and Zibiao Li