Triple-synergistic 2D material-based dual-delivery antibiotic platform

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have raised significant interest in not only energy and environmental fields but also biomedical areas. Among these materials, one type that has many interesting properties and possesses numerous exciting applications is graphene oxide (GO)-based 2D materials. However, their poor stability in aqueous solutions and weak bioactivities limit their use in biomedical applications, especially antimicrobial fields. In this study, GO was functionalized with hydrophilic polymers and used as a vector for silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and sulfadiazine (SD). The stability of the material in aqueous solutions was greatly improved. The antibacterial activity of the novel hybrid antibacterial system (HAS) was enhanced by over 3 times compared to that of the system lacking SD. The antibacterial performance of the HAS was due to the triple synergy: bacterial capping, puncture, and inhibition. This study provides new insights into the design and fabrication of surface-modified GO and carbon materials and their 2D hybrid multifunctional materials for advanced applications including biomedical and especially antibacterial applications, broadening the design and application scope of carbon and 2D materials.