Periodate-based molecular perovskites as promising energetic biocidal agents

Epidemics caused by pathogens in recent years have created an urgent need for energetic biocidal agents with the capacity of detonation and releasing bactericides. Herein we present a new type of energetic biocidal agents based on a series of iodine-rich molecular perovskites, (H₂dabco)M(IO₄)₃ (dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, M = Na⁺/K⁺/Rb⁺/NH₄ ⁺ for DAI-1/2/3/4) and (H₂dabco)Na(H₄IO₆)₃ (DAI-X1). These compounds possess a cubic perovskite structure, and notably have not only high iodine contents (49-54 wt%), but also high performance in detonation velocity (6.331-6.558 km s^-1) and detonation pressure (30.69-30.88 GPa). In particular, DAI-4 has a very high iodine content of 54.0 wt% and simultaneously an exceptional detonation velocity up to 6.558 km s^-1. As disclosed by laser scanning confocal microscopy observation and a standard micro-broth dilution method, the detonation products of DAI-4 exhibit a broad-spectrum bactericidal effect against bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa). The advantages of easy scale-up synthesis, low cost, high detonation performance, and high iodine contents enable these periodate-based molecular perovskites to be highly promising candidates for energetic biocidal agents.

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s40843-022-2257-6.