Engineering the surface of Nbn+1CnTx MXenes to versatile bio-activity towards microorganisms

Anita Wojciechowska; Michał Jakubczak; Dorota Moszczyńska; Anna Wójcik; Kaitlyn Prenger; Michael Naguib; Agnieszka Maria Jastrzębska

doi:10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213581

Engineering the surface of Nb_n+1C_nT_x MXenes to versatile bio-activity towards microorganisms

Biomater Adv. 2023 Oct:153:213581. doi: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213581. Epub 2023 Aug 6.

Authors

Anita Wojciechowska¹, Michał Jakubczak², Dorota Moszczyńska³, Anna Wójcik⁴, Kaitlyn Prenger⁵, Michael Naguib⁶, Agnieszka Maria Jastrzębska⁷

Affiliations

¹ Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, 02-507 Warsaw, Woloska 141, Poland. Electronic address: anita.wojciechowska@pw.edu.pl.
² Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, 02-507 Warsaw, Woloska 141, Poland. Electronic address: michal.jakubczak.dokt@pw.edu.pl.
³ Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, 02-507 Warsaw, Woloska 141, Poland. Electronic address: dorota.moszczynska@pw.edu.pl.
⁴ Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, W. Reymonta 25, 30-059 Cracow, Poland. Electronic address: a.wojcik@imim.pl.
⁵ INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D22, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany. Electronic address: Kaitlyn.Prenger@leibniz-inm.de.
⁶ Tulane University, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA. Electronic address: naguib@tulane.edu.
⁷ Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, 02-507 Warsaw, Woloska 141, Poland. Electronic address: agnieszka.jastrzebska@pw.edu.pl.

PMID: 37572598
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213581

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) are potential antibacterial agents. However, their activity against microorganisms is not fully understood. It could relate to MXenes' surface which further influences their biocidal action. Herein, we report no continuous biocidal activity for delaminated 2D niobium-based MXenes (Nb_n+1X_nT_x) such as Nb₂CT_x and Nb₄C₃T_x prepared with HF/TMAOH protocol. Biocidal activity towards Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms was achieved by surface-functionalization with lysozyme macromolecule. MXenes' engineering with lysozyme changed MXene's surface charge from negative into positive thus enabling the elimination of bacteria cells during 48 h of incubation. In contrast, Nb₄C₃T_x functionalized with collagen stimulated the growth of Bacillus subtilis by 225 %, showing MXene's biocompatibility towards this particular strain. Altogether, our results show that MXenes are incredibly bio-tunable. Opposing bio-effects such as antimicrobial or growth-stimulating can be achieved towards various microorganisms with rational surface engineering.

Keywords: Antibacterial properties; Biocompatibility; MXene; Nb(2)C; Nb(4)C(3); Organic macromolecules; Surface functionalization.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Bacillus subtilis
Muramidase*
Niobium*

Substances

Niobium
Muramidase
MXene
Anti-Bacterial Agents