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Surface-Engineered WS2 Nanohybrids for Implications in Biomedicine.
Aishik Chakraborty1,2, Wei Luo3, Yasmeen Shamiya4
1Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9, Canada.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|July 9, 2025
Summary
Surface-engineered tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets with silver nanoparticles exhibit smart biomedical properties. These nanohybrids show antibacterial effects, NIR light-triggered heating, and excellent biocompatibility for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Chemistry
Background:
- Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) nanosheets possess unique properties valuable in biomedical applications like drug delivery and tissue engineering.
- Developing surface-modified TMDs with enhanced functionalities is crucial for advancing these applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize surface-modified TMD nanosheets with smart properties including NIR light-responsiveness, ultrasound-responsiveness, and bactericidal behavior.
- To investigate the potential of these engineered materials in combating bacterial infections and in tissue engineering.
Main Methods:
- Facile synthesis of surface-modified tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets decorated with silver nanospheres via a redox reaction.
- Characterization using TEM, AFM, XPS, FTIR, powder-XRD, UV-vis, Confocal Raman spectroscopy, and synchrotron radiation-based XAFS.
- Evaluation of antibacterial activity against MRSA, NIR-induced hyperthermia, 3D-bioprinting of hydrogel constructs, and in vitro/in vivo biocompatibility studies.
Main Results:
- Successfully created heterostructured nanohybrids (nWS2) with confirmed silver binding to WS2 nanosheets.
- nWS2 demonstrated inhibition of MRSA biofilms, significant temperature increase (30 °C) upon NIR irradiation, and antibiotic-free MRSA growth prevention.
- nWS2-integrated hydrogels supported 3D-bioprinting and showed excellent in vivo biocompatibility with host-tissue integration and minimal immune response.
Conclusions:
- Surface-engineered WS2 nanosheets exhibit multifunctional properties, including potent antibacterial activity and NIR-triggered hyperthermia.
- The developed nanocomposite hydrogel platform is suitable for tissue engineering applications due to its printability and biocompatibility.
- Surface-engineered WS2 nanosheets, alone or in hydrogels, represent a promising high-performance biomaterial for diverse biomedical applications.
