Bacterial Responses and Material-Cell Interplays With Novel MoAlB@MBene

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Developing effective antibacterial nanomaterials is crucial for various applications.
• Understanding material-bacteria interactions is key to designing efficient antimicrobial agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel 2D core-shell MoAlB@MBene structure.
• To investigate the antibacterial properties and mechanisms of MoAlB@MBene against common bacteria.
• To explore the role of light activation in the material's antibacterial efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Mild wet-chemical etching for MoAlB@MBene synthesis.
• Bacterial growth inhibition assays for E. coli, S. aureus, and B. subtilis.
• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and singlet oxygen (1O2) detection.
• Biofilm formation and cell morphology analysis.
• UV-Vis spectroscopy and band gap determination (direct and indirect).
• Photocatalytic antibacterial activity assessment under simulated white light.

Main Results:

• MoAlB@MBene demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of bacterial growth.
• The nanomaterial induced ROS and 1O2 formation in bacteria, even in the dark.
• Bacteria exhibited protective responses, including biofilm formation and altered cell morphology.
• MoAlB@MBene exhibits broad light absorption and possesses direct (1.67 eV) and indirect (0.74 eV) band gaps.
• Light exposure significantly decreased bacterial viability rates (E. coli: 20.6%, S. aureus: 22.9%, B. subtilis: 21.4%).

Conclusions:

• The study presents a novel 2D MoAlB@MBene nanomaterial with significant antibacterial activity.
• MoAlB@MBene functions through ROS generation and exhibits photocatalytic antibacterial properties.
• The findings provide insights into bacteria's response to light-activated 2D nanomaterials, advancing antimicrobial material research.