Interfacial engineering of Bi2S3/Ti3C2Tx MXene based on work function for rapid photo-excited bacteria-killing

Nat Commun. 2021 Feb 22;12(1):1224. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21435-6.

Abstract

In view of increasing drug resistance, ecofriendly photoelectrical materials are promising alternatives to antibiotics. Here we design an interfacial Schottky junction of Bi2S3/Ti3C2Tx resulting from the contact potential difference between Ti3C2Tx and Bi2S3. The different work functions induce the formation of a local electrophilic/nucleophilic region. The self-driven charge transfer across the interface increases the local electron density on Ti3C2Tx. The formed Schottky barrier inhibits the backflow of electrons and boosts the charge transfer and separation. The photocatalytic activity of Bi2S3/Ti3C2Tx intensively improved the amount of reactive oxygen species under 808 nm near-infrared radiation. They kill 99.86% of Staphylococcus aureus and 99.92% of Escherichia coli with the assistance of hyperthermia within 10 min. We propose the theory of interfacial engineering based on work function and accordingly design the ecofriendly photoresponsive Schottky junction using two kinds of components with different work functions to effectively eradicate bacterial infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bismuth / chemistry*
  • Catalysis / radiation effects
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Light*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microbial Viability / drug effects
  • Microbial Viability / radiation effects*
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / chemistry
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / radiation effects
  • Static Electricity
  • Sulfides / chemistry*
  • Temperature
  • Titanium / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Sulfides
  • Titanium
  • Bismuth
  • bismuth sulfide