Concept of 2D van der Waals Nanohybrids for Key Biomedical Applications

The past decade has witnessed a fundamental shift in 2D nanomaterials, from isolated single-component sheets to vdW nanohybrids, architected as stacked, stitched, or surface-engineered assemblies of chemically distinct layers. Enabled by weak interlayer forces, these hybrids permit modular integration of photonic, catalytic, electronic, and bioactive functions without lattice matching or harsh chemistries. In biomedicine, this modularity is transformative: one layer can absorb Near Infrared, NIR light for photothermal or photodynamic therapy, another can intercalate and release drugs or nucleic acids, a third can modulate redox biology through ROS scavenging or nanozyme activity, while polymeric or biomimetic coatings provide immune evasion, targeting, or biodegradability. Compared with isotropic nanoparticles, 2D vdW interfaces offer maximal surface area, multivalent binding, anisotropic ion/electron transport, tissue-compliant mechanics, and engineerable interlayer galleries for controlled, stimulus-responsive release. Crucially, vdW stacking preserves the intrinsic properties of each layer while enabling emergent synergistic behaviors including photothermal-photodynamic coupling, catalytic-photonic amplification, mechanobiology-driven responsiveness, and staged therapeutic logic. Together, these attributes position vdW nanohybrids as a powerful and versatile class of materials poised to redefine therapeutic, diagnostic, regenerative, and bioelectronic frontiers in next-generation nanomedicine.