Anchoring Core–Shell Cu@Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanoparticles to Two-Dimensional Carbon Nanosheets for Bacterial Disinfection
Guihong Sun, Shanshan Jia, Xiaoyan Zhang, Zewen Kang, Malin Cui, Bingqing Wang, Bingqing Wang, Bo Wang, Bo Wang, Da‐Peng Yang
Abstract
The unique physicochemical properties and relatively higher biosafety endow carbon-based nanomaterials with much worldwide attention. However, studies of the synthesis and functionalization of carbon nanosheets are still very limited, which largely impedes the development of carbon-based materials for antibacterial applications. In this work, carbon nanosheets decorated with core–shell Cu@Cu2O nanoparticles (Cu@Cu2O/C) were prepared by a facial hydrothermal method using copper d-gluconate. The in situ-generated carbon nanosheets feature a homogeneous size distribution with an average diameter of 3 μm and thickness of 5 nm. The particle size of Cu@Cu2O is mainly distributed between 10.5 and 13.5 nm. Particularly, these nanosheets could not only effectively anchor Cu@Cu2O core–shell structured nanoparticles but also bring more edge active sites, which could promote the generation of free radicals. The as-prepared Cu@Cu2O/C verified by varieties of characterizations were used as antibacterial samples to kill the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacterium S. aureus with antibacterial efficiencies of up to 100 and 96.0%, respectively, within 12 min in the dark condition. A possible antibacterial mechanism of the •OH-dominated radical combined with the sharp edges of carbon nanosheets was confirmed by a series of control experiments. Overall, the present work provides a simple strategy to prepare carbon-based antibacterial agents, which sheds light on the understanding of the antibacterial mechanism of carbon-based nanomaterials.