A significant number of structural defects are the primary factor limiting the catalytic performance of g-C3N4. Here, a reduction in bulk defects within g-C3N4 is achieved by optimizing the mass transfer process in the synthesis pathway, resulting in enhanced sonodynamic therapy (SDT) through facilitated charge carrier migration. Abstract Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has garnered growing interest owing to its high tissue penetration depth and minimal side effects. However, the lack of efficient sonosensitizers remains the primary limiting factor for the clinical application of this treatment method. Here, defect-repaired graphene phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets are prepared and utilized for enhanced SDT in anti-tumor treatment. After defect engineering optimization, the bulk defects of g-C3N4 are significantly reduced, resulting in higher crystallinity and exhibiting a polyheptazine imide (PHI) structure. Due to the more extended conjugated structure of PHI, facilitating faster charge transfer on the surface, it exhibits superior SDT performance for inducing apoptosis in tumor cells. This work focuses on introducing a novel carbon nitride nanomaterial as a sonosensitizer and a strategy for optimizing sonosensitizer performance by reducing bulk defects.
Published in: "Angewandte Chemie International Edition".