Singlet oxygen mediated efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and disinfection by ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite under LED light

Herein, a core-shell ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite with high photocatalytic efficiency was synthesized via a solvothermal method. Due to polydopamine (PDA) coating and Ag-Ag2O doping, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite yielded a high amount of singlet oxygen (1O2) upon visible light irradiation, compared with unmodified ZnO and ZnO@PDA nanosheets. Under LED irradiation, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite with a p-n heterojunction exhibited remarkable photocatalytic efficiency for removing rhodamine B and elim-inating Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite de-monstrated high stability and photocatalytic activity after five consecutive cycles. It also effectively eliminated established biofilms and inhibited the generation of new biofilms. Wound-healing infected by S. aureus in vivo indicated that ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite with LED irradiation inhibited microbial infection of wound and promoted wound healing. Therefore, 1O2-mediated ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nano -composite is expected to be a promising photocatalyst in the fields of sewage treatment, antibacterial agents, and nanomedicines.(c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A core-shell ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite with high photocatalytic efficiency was synthesized via a solvothermal method. The nanocomposite exhibited a high amount of singlet oxygen generation upon visible light irradiation and showed remarkable photocatalytic efficiency and antibacterial capability. It is expected to be a promising photocatalyst in the fields of sewage treatment, antibacterial agents, and nanomedicines.