Light-Responsive Nanozymes: From Photophysical Mechanisms to Innovative Applications

Light-responsive nanozymes, integrating photophysical processes with biocatalytic functions, have advanced the field of artificial catalysis. By introducing precise optical switches, these nanosystems effectively overcome the inherent limitations of traditional nanozymes, such as slow kinetics and strict environmental dependencies. This review first analyzes the photophysical enhancement mechanisms of light-responsive nanozymes, including the photothermal effect, photogenerated charge transfer (CT), and energy transfer (ET). Subsequently, the latest advances in their material design and classification are summarized, with a specific focus on 0D nanomaterials, porous framework materials, single-atom catalysts (SACs), and heterojunction nanocomposites. Ultimately, we present their applications across environmental protection, food safety, and biomedicine, while providing an outlook on the future challenges and prospects of this field.