“…As displayed in FTIR spectra of CuNCs (Figure 2B), the peak at 1650 cm −1 is ascribed to the stretching vibration of C�O on glutathione (GSH). 27 As for MF microspheres, the broad band locating at 3400 cm −1 resulted from the superimposed stretching vibrations of imino (−NH 2 ) and hydroxyl (−OH) groups; the peaks at 2918 and 1359 cm −1 are related to C−H of methylene groups and C−N bonds; the doublet at 1556 and 1506 cm −1 is due to the stretching vibrations of C�N bonds in the 1,3,5-triazine ring; As recorded in XPS spectra (panels A and B of Figure 3), the binding energies of C, N, O, S, and Cu elements can be detected in both CuNCs and MF@CuNCs, suggesting the successful preparation of MF@CuNCs. Notably, the peaks at 932.0 and 951.6 eV in the inset corresponding to the binding energies of Cu 2p 3/2 and 2p 1/2 are assigned to Cu(0), and no obvious signal appears at approximately 942 eV, illustrating the absence of Cu 2+ in CuNCs.…”