Issue 11, 2021

Progress on photocatalytic semiconductor hybrids for bacterial inactivation

Abstract

Due to its use of green and renewable energy and negligible bacterial resistance, photocatalytic bacterial inactivation is to be considered a promising sterilization process. Herein, we explore the relevant mechanisms of the photoinduced process on the active sites of semiconductors with an emphasis on the active sites of semiconductors, the photoexcited electron transfer, ROS-induced toxicity and interactions between semiconductors and bacteria. Pristine semiconductors such as metal oxides (TiO2 and ZnO) have been widely reported; however, they suffer some drawbacks such as narrow optical response and high photogenerated carrier recombination. Herein, some typical modification strategies will be discussed including noble metal doping, ion doping, hybrid heterojunctions and dye sensitization. Besides, the biosafety and biocompatibility issues of semiconductor materials are also considered for the evaluation of their potential for further biomedical applications. Furthermore, 2D materials have become promising candidates in recent years due to their wide optical response to NIR light, superior antibacterial activity and favorable biocompatibility. Besides, the current research limitations and challenges are illustrated to introduce the appealing directions and design considerations for the future development of photocatalytic semiconductors for antibacterial applications.

Graphical abstract: Progress on photocatalytic semiconductor hybrids for bacterial inactivation

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
13 may 2021
Accepted
08 sen 2021
First published
13 sen 2021

Mater. Horiz., 2021,8, 2964-3008

Progress on photocatalytic semiconductor hybrids for bacterial inactivation

J. Zeng, Z. Li, H. Jiang and X. Wang, Mater. Horiz., 2021, 8, 2964 DOI: 10.1039/D1MH00773D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements