Gallium-Based Liquid Metal Materials for Antimicrobial Applications

The hazards caused by drug-resistant bacteria are rocketing along with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The development of new non-antibiotic antibacterial drugs is urgent. The excellent biocompatibility and diverse multifunctionalities of liquid metal have stimulated the studies of antibacterial application. Several gallium-based antimicrobial agents have been developed based on the mechanism that gallium (a type of liquid metal) ions disorder the normal metabolism of iron ions. Other emerging strategies, such as physical sterilization by directly using LM microparticles to destroy the biofilm of bacteria or thermal destruction via infrared laser irradiation, are gaining increasing attention. Different from traditional antibacterial agents of gallium compounds, the pronounced property of gallium-based liquid metal materials would bring innovation to the antibacterial field. Here, LM-based antimicrobial mechanisms, including iron metabolism disorder, production of reactive oxygen species, thermal injury, and mechanical destruction, are highlighted. Antimicrobial applications of LM-based materials are summarized and divided into five categories, including liquid metal motors, antibacterial fabrics, magnetic field-responsive microparticles, liquid metal films, and liquid metal polymer composites. In addition, future opportunities and challenges towards the development and application of LM-based antimicrobial materials are presented.

Automated summary

With the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, the hazards caused by drug-resistant bacteria are increasing rapidly. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new non-antibiotic antibacterial drugs. Liquid metal, with excellent biocompatibility and diverse multifunctionalities, has stimulated research on its antibacterial application. This research focuses on gallium (a type of liquid metal) ions disrupting the normal metabolism of iron ions, resulting in the development of several gallium-based antimicrobial agents. In addition, emerging strategies such as physical sterilization and thermal destruction are gaining attention. Unlike traditional antibacterial agents, liquid metal materials bring innovation to the antibacterial field.