Oxygen vacancy-rich Ag/CuO nanoarray mesh fabricated by laser ablation for efficient bacterial inactivation

The contamination of drinking water by microbes is a critical health concern, underscoring the need for safe, reliable, and efficient methods to treat pathogenic microorganisms. While most sterilization materials are available in powder form, this presents safety risks and challenges in recycling. Herein, this study reports the preparation of an innovative copper oxide supported silver monolithic nanoarray mesh with abundant oxygen vacancies (Ag/CuO-V_O) by laser ablation. The instantaneous high temperature caused by laser ablation preserves the material's original structure while generating oxygen vacancies on the CuO surface. The Ag/CuO-V_O mesh demonstrated a remarkable ability to inactivate over 99% of Escherichia coli (E. Coli) within 20 min. The oxygen vacancies in the Ag/CuO-V_O enhance interactions between oxygen species and the Ag/CuO-V_O, leading to the accumulation of large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The generated ROS effectively disrupt both layers of the bacterial cell wall - the peptidoglycan and the phospholipid - as confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, culminating in cell death. This research presents a monolithic material capable of inactivating pathogenic microorganisms efficiently, offering a significant advancement in water sterilization technology.