Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have become a global concern, especially with the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which can survive on surfaces from days to months. In order to combat these infections, much interest was generated in creating a superior, next-generation antimicrobial materials since conventional agents offer no residual effect beyond its single-use. Here we developed a novel composite material containing a bismuth-based photocatalyst, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a known antiseptic surfactant which does not require photoactivation, allowing antibacterial activity under both indoor fluorescent light and dark conditions. The as-prepared Bi-CTAB composites have a highly crystalline, layered sheet-like structure with the thickness of a single layer around 0.5 nm. The number of layers can be easily tuned from single layer to multiple layers by the control of the hydrolysis process. These ultra-thin Bi-CTAB composites exhibited superior antibacterial action in both light and dark conditions, tested in a modified broth microdilution assay against <i>E. coli </i>concentrations of 5 x 10<sup>5</sup> CFU/mL. In the presence of light, Bi-CTAB composites retained significant bactericidal effect after four cycles of bacterial inoculation, demonstrating an advantage over single-use conventional agents. We anticipate these assay results to be a starting point in translating the composite into clinical setting as a general disinfectant.

Bi-CTAB composite photocatalytic nanomaterial for antibacterial applications

254th National Meeting (2017)

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