Remote driving of functional hybrid soft materials for various applications is emerging as an enabling pursuit. Toward this end, soft materials driven by photothermal agents have been attracting tremendous attention from both fundamental science and technological applications points of view. These stimuli‐responsive materials combine the beneficial attributes of both classes of promising materials, i.e., soft materials and photothermal agents. Both inorganic and organic photothermal agents have been incorporated into the matrices of soft materials. Metal nanoparticles, carbon nanomaterials, and organic photothermal agents have been impregnated into the matrices of liquid crystals, polymers, and gels that can be remotely driven by light irradiation. In this review, the remote driving of functional hybrid soft materials and their various applications are discussed. Photothermal functional nanocomposites are demonstrated to act as actuators, therapeutic agents, drug delivery systems, microvalves, etc. Smart and adaptive systems are realized by dispersing photothermal agents into soft matter matrices. Challenges and opportunities in this fascinating frontier are outlined.

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光热效应驱动的软材料及其应用

针对各种应用的功能性混合软材料的远程驱动正在成为一种可行的追求。为此，从基础科学和技术应用的角度来看，由光热剂驱动的软材料已经引起了极大的关注。这些刺激响应材料结合了两类有前途的材料（即软材料和光热剂）的有益特性。无机和有机光热剂都已被并入软材料基体中。金属纳米颗粒，碳纳米材料和有机光热剂已被浸渍到液晶，聚合物和凝胶的基质中，这些基质可以通过光辐射远程驱动。在这篇评论中，讨论了功能混合软材料的远程驱动及其各种应用。已证明光热功能纳米复合材料可充当促动器，治疗剂，药物输送系统，微型阀等。通过将光热剂分散到软物质基质中，可以实现智能和自适应系统。概述了这个引人入胜的前沿领域中的挑战和机遇。