Functional two-dimensional MXenes as cancer theranostic agents

Recently, MXenes, as a kind of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with exceptional performance, have become the research hotspots owing to their unique structural, electronic, and chemical proper-ties. They have potential applications in electrochemical storage, photocatalysis, and biosensors. Further-more, they have certain characteristics such as large surface area, favorable biocompatibility, and ideal mechanical properties, which can expand their applications in biomedical fields, especially in cancer ther-apy. To date, several researchers have explored the applications of MXenes in tumor elimination, which exhibited other fantastic properties of those 2D MXenes, such as efficient in vivo photothermal abla-tion, low phototoxicity, high biocompatibility, etc. In this review, the structures, properties, modifications, and preparation methods are introduced respectively. More importantly, the multifunctional platforms for cancer therapy based on MXenes nanosheets (NSs) are reviewed in detail, including single-modality and combined-modality cancer therapy. Finally, the prospects and challenges of MXenes are prospected and discussed. Statement of significanceIn this review, the structures, properties, modifications, and preparation methods of MXenes nanomate-rials are introduced, respectively. In addition, the preparation conditions and morphological character-izations of some common MXenes for therapeutic platforms are also summarized. More importantly, the practical applications of MXenes-based nanosheets are reviewed in detail, including drug delivery, biosensing, bioimaging, and multifunctional tumor therapy platforms. Finally, the future prospects and challenges of MXenes are prospected and discussed.(c) 2022 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.