FeOOH/Polypyrrole Nanocomposites with an Islands-in-Sea Structure toward Combined Photothermal/Chemodynamic Therapy

Simple integration of photothermal conversion agents (PTCAs) and Fenton catalysts within a single nanostructure is a challenge for combined photothermal therapy(PTT)/chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Herein, FeOOH/polypyrrole nanocomposites (NCs, ∼25 nm) with an islands-in-sea structure were synthesized in a simple interface-directed synthesis for combined therapy. The obtained NCs exhibit remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency (∼56%) resulting from doping and ordered packing of the π-conjugated polymer backbone as well as excellent catalytic performance in generating toxic hydroxyl radicals at low H2O2 concentrations mediated by the electron transfer from polypyrrole to FeOOH.