Photochemical Activity of Black Phosphorus for Near-Infrared Light Controlled In Situ Biomineralization.

The photochemical activity of black phosphorus (BP) in near-infrared (NIR) light controlled in situ biomineralization is investigated. Owing to the excellent NIR absorption, irradiation with NIR light not only promotes degradation of BP into PO , but also enhances the chemical activity to accelerate the reaction between PO and Ca and promote in situ biomineralization. Mineralization of hydrogels is demonstrated by the preparation of BP incorporated hydrogel (BP@Hydrogel) which delivers greatly improved biomineralization performance under NIR illumination. The biomineralization process which can be controlled by modulating the light irradiation time and location has a high potential in controlling the mechanical properties and osteoinductive ability in tissue engineering. This study also provides insights into the degradation, photochemical activity, and new biological/biomedical applications of BP.